Grenada plays hardball over legal bill for former deputy PM

The Grenada government says it has no intention of paying the half-million US-dollar legal bill submitted by a US-based lawyer for defending Gregory Bowen in a matter involving American investor Jack Grynberg over drilling rights in Grenada.

Bowen is a former deputy prime minister.

"There is no foundation for this. The man was sued in his personal capacity and it's a matter for him," said Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.

"I believe that the former government of Grenada, under Dr [Keith] Mitchell's leadership, owes an apology to the people of Grenada for the unnecessary spending that took place involving this litigation."

The Prime Minister insists that the matter is "an offence that is separate and apart" from Bowen's role as a minister.

"This whole thing is caused by the [opposition] New National Party (NNP). There is a concept in law called causation, what causes something. Who entered in bed with Grynberg? Who are the people involved? It's the NNP, we were never really involved in this," Thomas said.

Earlier this year, a United States Court of Appeal cleared Bowen of any wrongdoing in the matter, ruling also that there was no conspiracy between the Mitchell government and a group of Russians to prevent Grynberg's company, RSM Corporation, from searching for oil in Grenadian waters.

Grynberg sued the Russians and Bowen for US$500 million and accused the former senior government minister of requesting a bribe after the Mitchell administration terminated his oil exploration contract in 2005.

However, the Court of Appeal Second Circuit backed the US District Court ruling two years ago that Grynberg failed to prove that two directors of Russian oil company Global Petroleum Group interfered with his oil exploration contract.

"Such pleadings do not plausibly allege that the defendants' conduct injured the plaintiffs' relationship with Grenada because any injury is not only compatible with, but indeed ... more likely explained by Grynberg's refusal to bribe Grenadian officials," the court said in a written ruling.

Bowen's attorney, Roger Archibald, had submitted a bill for US$500,000 in legal fees and during appearances on radio and television talk shows here have threatened to sue the government over the payment of the fees.

Archibald took over the case after the US law firm Paul Weiss withdrew its services when the Thomas administration refused to continue paying Bowen's legal fees.

The firm said that it is owed US$400,000.

- CMC