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Lawsuit greets newcomer on Saipan By MAR-VIC CAGURANGAN
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Posted on Nov 04 1999
Newcomers on Saipan usually receive welcome greetings. But a veterinary doctor from Washington State was greeted with a lawsuit.
Veterinarian Del R. George was sued in the Superior Court last week for breach of contract.
According to the civil suit, George entered into an agreement with Eugene R. Clothier to buy the Saipan Veterinary Clinic.
The purchase agreement took place in Colorado Springs.
George came to Saipan but changed his mind. He instead decided that he wants to put up his own veterinary clinic in the island to compete with the business he allegedly agreed to buy.
Clothier, through his attorney Timothy Skinner, has asked the court to issue a preliminary injunction to stop George from setting up a new clinic.
The Saipan Chamber of Commerce has announced that the new clinic, called Pacific Island Animal Hospital located in Chalan Lau Lau, will open in two weeks. George is the newest member of the local Chamber of Commerce.
According to the civil action, George negotiated the purchase of Clothier’s clinic from $325,000 down to $315,000. The purchase agreement was executed by George last June 30, and by Clothier last July 2.
According to the complaint, George sought to secure a loan from the Bank of Hawaii supposedly to fulfill his purchase obligation. But he later abandoned the loan application, telling a bank manager that he was no longer interested in buying Saipan Veterinary Clinic, the court document said.
“Defendant has intentionally undermined his own loan application, breached his promise to purchase plaintiff’s clinic, taken opportunistic advantage of knowledge gained through the transaction and opened a competing clinic in Saipan to steal plaintiff’s clients and put plaintiff out of business,” the complaint said.
The complaint said that George’s plan to open a competing business would cause “economic loss” and “irreparable damage” to the plaintiff as the existence of a new clinic would “reduce the plaintiff’s revenues.”
