A major figure in the ill-fated 1979-83 Grenada Revolution believes that Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell should remove Member of Parliament for St Patrick East Dennis Cornwall as Minister of Finance in the wake of the revocation of his diplomatic visa by the U.S government of President Donald Trump.

Speaking to THE NEW TODAY, the former revolutionary figure said that it is now untenable for Cornwall to remain in charge of the nation’s finance purse in light of Washington’s censuring of him.

The Trump administration recalled the diplomatic visas issued to Cornwall and his ex-wife Ophelia Cornwall, the current female companion of ex-Prime Minister Keith Mitchell in the wake of the Cuban medical brigade issue.

Washington took action against St George’s and some governments in Africa and Latin America over the manner in which Cuba is using its doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to earn foreign exchange to help the Cuban economy afloat.

The ex-revolutionary figure questioned how and where Cornwall will travel to perform as Minister of Finance on behalf of the government and people of Grenada in light of the action taken against him by the U.S government.

 He wondered if it was the intention of the Dickon Mitchell-led government in the Botanical Gardens to allow Cornwall to remain in the position and perform his duties remotely.

He also chided the 3-year old Congress administration for not offering the nation any explanation over the debacle facing the Minister of Finance.

“In the name of Grenada that can’t work. So what do they (NDC Government) intend – they don’t respect America?”

The U.S action against Cornwall came against the backdrop of a statement he made in Parliament that he will stick with Cuba and that Washington could take back its visa.

According to the former revolutionary official, despite the anti-American rhetoric often displayed in public by the left-leaning People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) of executed Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, efforts were often made “behind the scene” to engage the U.S government.

“We used to be on our knees behind closed doors. All the (foolishness) we used to talk about burying them in the sea, behind closed doors we used to have to be on our knees,” he said.

He spoke of the PRG often using a Third Party to negotiate “day and night” with the Americans in order for the revolution to get some breeding space in the face of constant hostility from Washington.

The ex-Revolutionary indicated that the late Cuban President Fidel Castro often sent “emissaries” to Washington “to fix up their business” with the U.S government.

He said the new and young leaders in the Congress government in St George need to understand that their current posture with the U.S government is not the best way to conduct international relations especially when dealing with a major superpower.

“You can’t don’t engage them men (in Washington) and at the highest level – you have to,” he added.

The ex-PRG official indicated that in a lot of instances “you have to get a third country” to intervene with the U.S government on certain important issues.

Late U.S President Ronald Reagan played a major role in Grenada’s return to democratic rule of law when he ordered American soldiers into Grenada on October 25, 1983 – six days after Bishop was executed in a bloody palace coup staged by hardliners within the revolutionary process.

Former Congress leader Tillman Thomas who became Prime Minister of Grenada in the 2008-13 period was one of hundreds of persons freed from the Richmond Hill prison as a political detainee of the revolutionary government.