CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – The main opposition United Workers Party (UWWP) has welcomed the ruling by the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that dismissed the application for special leave by a television station here in a defamation case brought by a former government minister.
The McDowall Broadcasting Corporation Limited (MBC) is the second named defendant in defamation proceedings brought against it by Guy Joseph, who had filed an action in the High Court here seeking damages for alleged defamatory statements made during a news broadcast by MBC before the last general election here in 2021.
The time limit for bringing any such action is 12 months.
In a statement, the UWP said MBC tried to use a technicality to have the matter thrown out, contending that the service of Joseph’s claim form and supporting documents was improper and therefore never effected and that the court should hold that the claim had been prescribed.
In its ruling, the CCJ, the country’s highest and final court, said that the MBC’s application for special leave to the Court to appeal the decision of the Court of Appeal on the matter had no prospects of success. The CCJ dismissed the matter with costs to Joseph.
The first appellate case from St. Lucia to be heard by the CCJ since the island joined the Trinidad-based court as a full member in May this year was remitted to the trial court for further hearing.
The UWP said that while congratulating Joseph on his victory, it will “continue to advocate for accessible and unbiased political reporting by media members.
“It is obvious that too many media members were politically motivated in their reporting to seek political favor,” the party said, adding, “we await the outcome of this and many other pending matters.”
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