People’s National Party (PNP) activist and former information minister, Colin Campbell, has landed in hot water and is facing the possibility of a lawsuit that could set the stage for more disclosure surrounding the recent revocation of two senior parliamentarians’ United States visas.
Campbell has been given seven days to respond to government minister Daryl Vaz’s lawyers, who have demanded that he apologise for allegedly defaming him in a series of tweets and in a PNP WhatsApp group.
The lawyers are also seeking monetary compensation.
Vaz, who recently announced that the United States revoked his visa, has been the subject of much public discussion as speculation for possible reasons surrounding the revocation run wild.
The Sunday Gleaner obtained a copy of a letter sent to Campbell on Friday in which Queen’s Counsel George Soutar, lawyer for Vaz, outlined their grouses.
“My instructions are that at 9:34 a.m. Thursday, November 8th 2019, you forwarded to a People’s National Party WhatsApp group entitled ‘2019 PNP MP’s and caretaker’ a written communication which makes defamatory, false, scurrilous and vicious allegations about my client,” Soutar said in his missive to Campbell, who currently serves at the PNP communications director.
The attorney claimed that the group had in excess of 60 persons and the alleged defamatory communication has gone viral.
“The material in these electronic communications is defamatory and has damaged my client’s reputation, and as communication director you should know that your actions in publishing/forward[ing] can give rise to cause of action,” Soutar told Campbell.
VERIFYING CLAIMS
The Sunday Gleaner has obtained the messages which Vaz claimed were sent by Campbell, but cannot republish as this newspaper could not independently verify any of the claims.
The supposed defamatory communication, however, surrounds a highly publicised government transaction and implicates persons in government and the private sector.
Yesterday, when The Sunday Gleaner contacted Campbell, he confirmed that he received the correspondence from Vaz’s attorney and disclosed that he has forwarded it to his attorney, Queen’s Counsel K.D. Knight.
Pressed by The Sunday Gleaner to state whether he was standing by the claims he allegedly made, Campbell responded “What claims? I don’t know of anything.”
“What claims?,” he again questioned before stating that the matter is in the hands of his attorney, who is expected to provide a response.
Campbell, however, refused to say when a response would be forthcoming, stressing that the matter was “out of my hands”.
But Campbell’s troubles do not stop at the possibility of legal wrangling.
Vaz has sought the intervention of the police, asking Major General Antony Anderson, the commissioner of police, to investigate whether Campbell breached the Cybercrimes Act.
Vaz provided the police commissioner with screenshots which allegedly implicate Campbell as the author of the defamatory communication.
“My attorneys in the interim will be pursuing a defamation suit but this, as you would appreciate, does not preclude any criminal sanction being pursued simultaneously,” Vaz told the commissioner of police.
WhatsApp is secured, encrypted communication platform. Didn’t know Colin Campbell was that stupid to use that platform to have it traceable to him, when it could have been sent anonymously using various available untraceable methods. Vaz and his co-horts like to sue to silence his detractors. He was one of the people who sued that now deceased Lawyer (Professor David Rowe) out of Florida.
Darryl Vaz father, Douglas Vaz died in his sleep this morning
Karma always visit when least expected.
Mr QC, I think you would realised that this is not how a proper business letter should be headed, especially from one who is a QC. tut Tut Tut. ..
Mr QC, can your client prove that the statement Mr. Campbell made was false and defamatory and the kind of harm was done?
Is there freedom of speech in Jamaica? In order for your client to be successful he would have to disprove the statement made. Does he really want to go through that? Think about it. It’s not everyone that is frightened about lawyers threatening letters.
And also a note to you sir, prior to talking about a defamation case, it would have been prudent to have criminal charges and conviction. After conviction your clients would have been more likely to succeed.
Because the US Embassy does not publish information on such issues.I is alleged that Colin Campbell published information weather true or false about Daryl Vas issue with the US Embassy which he had no right to do.
Sue his ass!
GK is suing too. HAHAHAHAHHAAAAAHAHAHA
http://nationwideradiojm.com/grace-kennedy-refers-smear-message-which-has-campbell-facing-lawsuit-threat-to-lawyers-police/
ONE WORD FOR DARL VAZ DEPORTEEEE LOL
ONE WORD FOR DARYL VAZ DEPORTEEEEE LOL
Mr. QC, “entitled “? Hahaha…