A Barbados-based Cricket West Indies consultant has threatened to sue Vincentian diplomat Fitz Huggins over a Facebook post he allegedly made on Feb. 12.
Lawyer Kashka “Jaja” Mottley told iWitness News that Huggins has caused “serious reputational and financial damage” to his client, Jamal Slocombe.
Huggins is the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Consul General to Canada. iWitness News understands that Slocombe’s claim is unrelated to Huggins’ work as a diplomat.
“Let’s be clear, the claims that Mr. Huggins made are completely baseless and misleading. They have caused serious reputational and financial damage to my client, where his work stands on its own merit and has nothing to do with the allegations that Mr. Huggins was trying to drag him into,” Mottley told iWitness News.
“Basically, this reckless attempt to smear his name and destroy the facts is unacceptable,” the Barbadian lawyer further said, adding that he would not at that stage disclose the full extent of the legal claims.
“… but they will absolutely include swift legal action for the harm caused,” he said.
“If Mr. Huggins thinks he can say whatever he wants without consequence, he’s mistaken. I know that my clients will not sit back and allow his name, reputation or business to be tarnished without a fight.”
Mottley said it would be wise for Huggins “to immediately stop making false statements.
“If he continues, he’ll be met with swift and decisive legal action. Mr. Slocombe won’t entertain reckless public discourse that causes real and measurable damage”.
Meanwhile, Slocombe told iWitness News separately that Huggins’ alleged Facebook post included audio extracted from a broadcast on VOB 929 FM in Barbados, which featured Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves.
“… he posted it to his Facebook page and he tagged other diplomats as well. So, clearly there was a conceited effort to engage other individuals and for them to be aware of his comments.”
Slocombe told iWitness News that “over 1,000 people who viewed that video”, which remained online for a week.
“After my attorney instructed him, he did exactly that. You could appreciate I won’t be able to say exactly what was articulated because that will be certainly prejudicing the matter which I am pursuing fully legally with him.”
Slocombe told iWitness News that his lawyer has had “some level of engagement” with Huggins’ attorneys-at-law.
“I fully intend to pursue legal action against Mr. Huggins, because you cannot believe that you can go about making comments about people so recklessly,” Slocombe said.
“Especially when you are a diplomat, you cannot do that. The people see you with a measure of credibility [because] of the office you hold. And it’s not like a random guy walking through Kingstown. It is a person who ought to be held in high esteem by the public at large. His comments have travelled waters,” Slocombe said.
I knew this was coming. All of these socalled people in high places feel and believe they can do whatever they want. They love their massa so much that he will lead them down the slippery slopes. Sue him!!
Vincentian society starting with the Comrade is to litigious for its own good.