The Honourable Stephenson King, Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition in Saint Lucia’s House of Parliament, has written to Her Excellency the Governor General regarding the matter of a license purportedly given Colorado oilman Jack Grynberg.
At the heart of his letter is the question whether Her Excellency, Dame Pearlette Louisy, had issued such license, since she alone is legally authorized by the Minerals (Vesting) Act to do, or whether a license was issued by someone else ultra vires the Constitution of Saint Lucia.
Jack Grynberg is currently in the process of suing the Government of Saint Lucia for “breach of contract,” based on a license he claims was issued to him and which affords him sole rights to explore for oil under the Saint Lucia seabed.
Mr. Grynberg has claimed damages in the sum of USD$500 million!
All attempts going back to 2006 at soliciting clarification in the best interests of the nation from the present government about this matter currently before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) have been rebuffed.
In their unceasing efforts to get to the bottom of the largely secret transaction between the Kenny Anthony-led government and Mr. Jack Grynberg, opposition parliamentarians have encountered road block after road block, some set up by the current House Speaker, Mr. Peter Foster.
Mr. Foster is also the prime minister’s lawyer in a pending Grynberg-related matter against the MP for Castries Central, Richard Frederick.