by Linda Straker
A politician in Grenada has until 28 November 2014 to remove a link he shared on his Facebook page, which claims that Ambassador Derrick James was caught with a number of Grenadian passports while clearing US immigration.
The claim was published in a letter signed by Helen Grenade in the “Letter to the editor” section of a regional online newspaper on 8 November 2014, and shared on Randal Robinson’s Facebook Timeline which has more than 2,300 friends. Robinson said that he received a letter demanding various actions on Tuesday.
“Never a dull moment in the life and times of Randal Robinson the Politician. I think I have to go see a Lawyer now,” Robinson posted after receiving the letter from Ciboney Chambers law firm.
According to the letter which he also posted on his Facebook page, the accusation that “Mr Derrick James was carrying dozens of passport… are gravely defamatory… and have indeed caused injury to Mr. James in his occupation as a diplomatic representative of Grenada.” James, who is based in Brooklyn, is Grenada’s United Nations Ambassador for Humanitarian and Diaspora Affairs.
The letter which is signed by Sabrina K C Gibbs, has requested that Robinson “immediately take down the aforesaid post”; “immediately publish on your face-book page a retraction of, and appropriate apology, acceptable to Mr. James for the falsehoods you have purveyed”; and “immediately open negotiations with Ciboney Chambers with a view to a settlement of damages for the injury caused to Mr. James’ reputation.”
The letter further states that if Robinson, who was the National Democratic Congress candidate for the St George South East constituency in the February 2013 general election, fails, refuses and/or neglects to comply with the demands, the law firm has instructions to institute action in the High Court.
