The Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal has dismissed an application by an opposition politician to file a defence in a defamation lawsuit brought against her by Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. Keith Mitchell.
Nigel Stewart, the prime minister’s lawyer, says Claudette Joseph lost the appeal against Prime Minister Mitchell in a judgment handed down by the Court of Appeal on January 11.
“In effect, the Court of Appeal has reaffirmed the judgment of the High Court in awarding judgment against Claudette Joseph in relation to defamatory comments made in relation to the shrimp farm project,” Stewart added.
In January 2021, the High Court dismissed Joseph’s appeal after she missed the deadline set by the Court and Stewart sought a judgment in default.
Mitchell had filed the lawsuit after Joseph claimed he was an investor in the failed aquaculture shrimp farm project. She pointed to a social media video to support the allegation.
Mitchell denied he was an investor in the project which was an approved Citizenship by Investment (CIP) project.
Under the CIP, foreign investors are granted citizenship in return for making substantial investment in the socio-economic development of the island.
In March 2019, the government of Grenada announced an investigation into the project after it failed to materialize.
In December 2019, the prime minister’s lawyers wrote to Joseph demanding that she cease and desist from repeating the claim.
They also said she must apologize, and pay compensation in the amount of EC$350,000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) within seven days of receiving the pre-action protocol letter.
Joseph, an attorney, who once served as the public relations officer for the main opposition National Democratic Congress says the matter is with her lawyers as she awaits the written judgment of the Court.
/CMC
