KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, Feb. 27, IWN – Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves says he has instructed his lawyer “to pursue the fruits of my judgement” in two defamation cases against Nice Radio.
He made the announcement on Monday, the same day he received $206,000 from the station for defamation.
Gonsalves said those monies were for charity but all others are for his “retirement fund”.
“Well, those, as I have said already, are for my retirement fund. That is for my sunset fund. … This is for charitable purposes,” he said.
“There are two others which are ready for execution. We might do one and then another one. But don’t defame me. Don’t involve me with any of your wutlissness (worthlessness).
“And, let me repeat, I have no interest in closing down Nice Radio, none whatsoever,” he said of the station, widely regarded as supportive of the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).
“In fact, it seems to me that Nice Radio has become a wonderful asset for the government and the ULP (Unity Labour Party). Because the crazies who come on Nice Radio driving NDP and putting them further and further from mainstream opinion and they all over the place,” Gonsalves said.
“It is a magnet for the crazies,” he further said of the station that is owned and managed by his cousin, Douglas “Douggie” DeFreitas.
“Douggie DeFreitas himself knows that, even though sometimes he is over the top. But, as I have told you all, though I can sue him personally, I haven’t done it because I really don’t want to offend the memory of my father and Father John, who is Douggie’s father,” Gonsalves said.
“They were good friends and family. But, he mustn’t take my forbearance on this as an absolute. I am human. I have my limits too,” the Prime Minister further said.
The $206,000 was raised through the Save Nice Radio Appeal, a campaign led by social activist Junior Bacchus, lawyer Kay Bacchus-Browne and pharmacist Matthew Thomas.