Outspoken Barrister-at-Law Anslem Clouden is calling for an international investigation into bribery allegations levelled at Grenada Deputy Prime Minister, Gregory Bowen.
Clouden made the call while speaking on the weekly Monday night, "Beyond the Headlines" radio and television programme hosted by the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN).
He told the programme host, Lew Smith that it was necessary to mount such a probe when taking into consideration the seriousness of the allegations being levelled against the senior government minister.
Clouden called on Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Christopher Nelson to commission an investigation into the matter using the services of Interpol, the U.S Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Scotland Yard to assist the Grenada police to find out whether or not criminal charges could be laid against Bowen.
The embattled Number Two official in the ruling New National Party (NNP) government has been sued in a New York court by american investor, Jack Grynberg for 500 million U.S dollars in connection with an oil and has agreement that went sour.
Grynberg has accused Bowen of plotting with three other Russians to torpedo his agreement after he refused to pay substantial bribe money to the government minister.
The deputy prime minister has continued to maintain his innocence, pointing out that the allegations are false and malicious and announced plans to file his own counter-suit against Grynberg.
Clouden who is known to have expertise in maritime law, describes the ongoing Bowen saga as a "sad and tragic episode".
He told the programme that what was troubling him the most is the fact that former Opposition Leader, Michael Baptiste, was arrested and charged under the same Mitchell government on a similar criminal matter when allegations surfaced years ago that monies were sent directly to his personal account.
He hinted that the same law should be applied in the case of Bowen who is also under fire for lying to the nation on his role in the Grynberg affair.
Clouden pointed out that in a democratic country one cannot have a law for the rich and another for the poor, as well as another set of law for those in power and another for those without power.
The lawyer's call for an indepth investigation into the Gregory Bowen episode received strong support from one of the panelists, Bernard Jones, Editor of the weekly Spice Isle Review newspaper.
Jones agreed with Clouden that an investigation is warranted since it is a serious charge, adding that, "this needs to be done since it's a serious charge, even so more serious than the briefcase affair", he said.
This is reference to allegations that Grenada Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell had accepted a bribe of US$500, 000.00 in Switzerland in June 2000 from international con-man, Eric Restiener in exchange for a diplomatic passport.
Governor-General Sir Daniel Williams was forced to appoint Barbadian jurist, Dr. Richard Cheltenham as the sole commissioner to probe the allegations against the Grenadian leader.
The inquiry has been affected by a number of court actions involving the opposition and Commissioner Cheltenham.
The Editor of Spice Isle Review urged Prime Minister Mitchell to do the decent thing ask Bowen to step aside pending the outcome of his matter.
He stated that when there is "a faulty/damaged part of a machinery" it is supposed to be taken out and checked out properly.
