ST GEORGE‘S, Grenada: A High Court judge in London has hinted that some form of bribery involving a public official took place while the former Chief Executive Officer of the defunct First International Bank of Grenada (FIBG) Lawrence Jones was in Grenada. FIBG was founded by Van Brink who is now in custody in the United States after he was arrested in Uganda to face several charges of money laundering and wire fraud. This allegation has being around for some time and has appeared in the Miami-based Offshore Alert financial newsletter, which also named the person involved and the position held. This bribery allegation has prompted calls for investigation by the Grenada Government so that it can be officially determined who the public officer is. A former member of the Upper House of Parliament and attorney at law says this is a proper case for the investigative arm of the police to look into since there have been too many allegations of bribery and wrong-doing involving public officials that have gone unchecked. Justice Mann of the London High Court noted that during Jones’s brief period as chief executive officer of FIBG he sent an e-mail describing a Grenadian public official (identified) as a useful member of a “team” that he was putting together, and describing his as “expensive but he has the ear of [another useful public figure] and is therefore invaluable to us”. The judge added that the reference to his being “expensive” apparently referred to an occasion on which moneys were paid to this official for performing services which might be thought to be within his own duties. It frankly smacked of bribery, and in his final speech Mr Ashe who represented Jones in this divorce case was unable to accede to the judge’s invitation to find another description, but Mr Jones did not acknowledge that. He went on to say it is fair to Mr Jones to record that there was no evidence that he was actually party to any improper arrangements that actually took place, but his failure to acknowledge the nature of what seemed to be going on was significant, in the judge’s view. Justice Mann further stated "I also take into account Mr Jones’s demeanour and the manner in which he gave evidence". The call for an investigation by the main opposition party in Grenada and several leading attorneys comes at a time when the Prime Minister himself is called upon to set up a commission of inquiry into allegations of bribery involving US$500,000 he allegedly received from a German fraudster Eric Resteiner. Dr Mitchell has denied the allegation saying he only received approximately US$15,000 for a trade and investment tour in Europe accompanied by two bodyguards. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com