At least two of the Russians whose name have surfaced in recent weeks with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Gregory Bowen in Grenada's oil and gas saga have strong links to St. George's.
The two - Lev Model and Lev Korchagin - are associated with the St.George's registered company known as "Global Petroleum Group Ltd" that was set up on the island on December 11, 2003.
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| Mikhail Fridman |
Korchagin, described as a Russian lawyer, has been sued along with Minister Bowen and two other Russians Mikhail Fridman and Len Blavatnik by U.S oil investor Jack Grynberg for US500,000.00 in damages for breach of contract.
Grynberg is alleging that Bowen and the Russians have conspired to prevent him from cashing in on a controversial oil and gas agreement that he signed in 1996 with the ruling New National Party (NNP) administration.
GRENADA TODAY has obtained copies of the "Certificate of Incorporation" of the company that was registered in Grenada by the Russians to carry out their oil business on the island.
The legal work for the company was handled by the law firm on Lucas Street that is owned by Governor-General, Sir Daniel Williams and known as Danny Williams & Co. Chambers.
That law firm has surfaced as the one that was often used by the Mitchell government over the years to enter into a number of controversial deals involving the State.
The GG's outfit was used to do the legal work of the Mitchell government in the controversial sale of Mt. Hartman to U.S investor J. Miller who took possession of the property and turned around and sued government for breach of contract.
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| Minister Bowen |
A search of the Supreme Court Registry showed that on August 10, 2005, the three directors of Global Petroleum Group were Russians, Eduard V. Vasiliev and Lev Model who were both described as businessmen with the other being Lev. B. Korchagin, an international lawyer with a known address in Moscow.
All three gave their addresses in the Spice Isle as Westerhall Point, St.
David's. Speculation is rife that they were operating from rented premises in the well-to-do area.
Model who later became involved in Grenada's failed Call Centre operations at the Seamoon Industrial Park in St. Andrew's was one of the driving force behind the Russian oil men who were allegedly courting Minister Bowen.
This newspaper saw copies of another document in which the directors of Global Petroleum passed a resolution on December 6, 2005 giving Model the authority to transact business on behalf of the company.
The resolution said in part: "The Director of the company Lev Model... is authorised and directed, as a sole director for and on behalf of the Company, to sign and/or execute any contract, document and/or instrument in writing with regards to the Lease of premises at St. George's from Derick Seele and Lucy Steele".
The Steeles' who live in Lance Aux Epines in St. George's could not be reached for comment on the issue. It is not known whether Global Petroleum had in fact rented any office or building space from the Steeles'.
Last week this newspaper carried the content of a letter that was allegedly written on October 17, 2005 by Model to Minister Bowen about an alleged secret oil and gas agreement that was signed between the Russian Global Petroleum Group and the NNP administration.
In the letter, Model made mention of the payment of US$2.5 million paid to government in pursuit of the oil and gas agreement.
"There is no agreement between the Government of Grenada and the Russian people sued with me (to explore for oil and gas", Bowen told reporters in St. George's.
This newspaper has already caught Minister Bowen openly lying about his role in the oil agreement that was worked out between the Mitchell government and Grynberg.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in St. George's in November, the Number Two Man in the Grenada government said that he only got involved in the Grynberg affair in 1999 when he was assigned the Energy portfolio.
But this newspaper was able to produce a government letter which indicated that since 1996 Bowen was appointed by Cabinet to head Grenada's oil negotiating team of which Grynberg was a member to meet with Venezuela for maritime boundaries negotiations.
Senior Energy Officer with government, John Auguste also confirmed at the same press briefing that Bowen was appointed in 1996 by Cabinet to be the "liason" in working out the agreement with Grynberg although he did not hold the Energy portfolio at the time.
Grynberg has filed two multi-million dollar court action against the Grenada government aimed at reviving his oil and gas agreement that was signed by then Senator Patrick Bubb, Minister of State for Finance.
