Opposition Leader Tillman Thomas has bluntly refused to heed the call made by Prime Minister, Dr Keith Mitchell call for his National Democratic Congress (NDC) to apologise to Deputy Prime Minister, Gregory Bowen, for allegations made against him in relation to the Jack Grynberg oil bribery issue.
The call was made by Dr. Mitchell during his address at the New National Party's 21st general convention held on Sunday at the Grenada Trade Center under the theme "Reflecting with pride advancing with vision."
The NNP leader accused the opposition of trying to discredit the reputation of his deputy.
However, in response to the charge from the Prime Minister, Thomas said that Congress will not apologise to Bowen in respect to the allegations made against him on the Grynberg matter.
He pointed to the latest major development in the oil deal issue in which Grynberg is making moves to apply to a high court judge in New York to enter a default judgement against Minister Bowen.
According to Thomas, information has just surfaced that the lawyer representing Grynberg is also attempting to get a copy of the controversial "briefcase issue" tape in which Prime Minister Mitchell is himself the subject of a bribery allegation.
Thomas said there is information that Grynberg is trying to get the tape to try and convince the Court in New York that bribery is the pattern of behaviour of those running the affairs of Grenada.
Prime Minister Mitchell pointed out that Bowen does not even know Grynberg but yet still the american is accusing him of asking for a bribe.
He said the statements made by the opposition on the issue were very unfair to the minister.
It is alleged that Bowen sought a bribe from Grynberg and his RSM Production Corp to explore for oil and gas off the coast of Grenada.
After the bribe was rejected, the minister is said to have blocked the company from proceeding with its gas and oil exploration plan.
Grynberg has filed a US $500 million lawsuit against Minister Bowen together with Russian billionaire, Mikhail Fridman and Lev Blavatnik, board members of BP Pls's Russian Unit and a Russian Lawyer.
Bowen has denied the allegations of bribery and in December told the House of Representatives that Grynberg has issued a letter apologising to him for the allegation.
During the NNP Convention, the party voted into office a new Public Relations Officer (PRO) in Ronald Straker who defeated the incumbent, Kennedy Roberts.
It was the only major change in the executive of the NNP which announced during the convention that Minister Bowen has been appointed to head a Screen Committee to select the party's candidates for general elections due in the next 20 months.
