Case management conference for Vaz's defamation suit against Campbell set for February

A case management conference has been scheduled for February 20, 2025 in the Supreme Court in relation to the defamation suit brought by Energy Minister Daryl Vaz against People's National Party (PNP) General Secretary Dr Dayton Campbell.

Vaz filed the lawsuit in August last year over “defamatory” comments made by Campbell on a political platform the previous month. 

In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, Vaz said he has been notified of the case management conference, stating that "For those who believed that this matter would have been a 9 day wonder, be minded that I remain resolute in this pursuit."

In his filing last year, Vaz said Campbell's utterances, during the PNP's Clarendon North Western annual conference, implied that he is lacking in probity, moral integrity and decency. 

“The said words are actionable per se under the laws of Jamaica,” Vaz said in the nine-page claim filed by his attorney. 

He said Campbell's references were motivated by malice and were calculated to disparage him in his political, professional, social and personal life. 

Meanwhile, Campbell has denied the claims filed in the defamation lawsuit, calling his utterances “fair comment”.

Campbell's defence was filed by attorney-at-law Shena Stubbs-Gibson in the Supreme Court on December 27, four months after the suit was filed against him.

“I am very confident of Dr Campbell's position. I am very confident that he has a sound defence to the claims raised by Vaz, [James] Robertson and [Othneil] Lawrence. We are anxious and raring to have the matter adjudicated before the court where we will explore all defences to their claim,” Stubbs-Gibson told The Gleaner then.

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