Opposition Leader raises concerns about bribery allegations against Energy Minister

by Michael Bascombe

ST GEORGE’s, Nov 19, CMC - Grenada's Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas says allegations of bribery against Energy Minister Gregory Bowen could affect the development of the energy sector here. Bowen has been accused by RSM Production Corporation, a United States-based oil production company, of denying the company an exploration licence because it refused to offer him a bribe. The claim was made in a US$500 million lawsuit filed in a New York court earlier this month. Bowen said the refusal to grant RSM a licence was based on investigations that indicated that the company had no intentions of oil and natural gas exploration but was following a method of making agreements and selling off interests in those agreements to others. However, Thomas said that the lawsuit would prevent any potential interest in oil exploration in Grenada’s territorial waters. "We see this as having serious implications for the energy sector," he said. "This will affect the credibility and frustrate the development of the sector while the matter is in court." Government said it took the decision to terminate the agreement with RSM in the best interest of the country. Bowen said there were doubts whether RSM had the financial resources to undertake such an exploration.