Grenada probes land deal

The Grenada government has called for an investigation into a land deal struck by the former Keith Mitchell administration and involving Formula One racing star Lewis Hamilton.



Prime Minister Tillman Thomas told reporters that his near three-month-old administration will ask government’s newly established Advisory Committee to look into the sale of state lands, currently occupied by the Grenada Grand Beach Resort.



He said the red flag was raised when it was discovered that no money for the transaction, which took place the day before the July 8 general elections, ended up in the Treasury.



Advisory Committee member Lloyd Noel said the deal calls for a group, involving Hamilton to take possession of the 20-acre property in exchange for the use of Hamilton’s name and photographs in Grenada’s tourism promotions over the next four years.



However, in defence of the action, former Prime Minister Keith Mitchell told the parliament on Thursday that the exposure Grenada will get from Hamilton’s presence will be worth millions of dollars.