Dominican journalist wins appeal

CMC – The Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal Monday overturned a High Court ruling that Dominican journalist and talk show host, Lennox Linton, pay over EC$60,000 to an accountant in a defamation suit.

 

The court granted the appeal on the basis of qualified privilege.



In March 2011, High Court judge Brian Cottle ruled that Linton must pay EC$50,000 in damages to a chartered accountant, who said he had been defamed by an article aired on a local radio station in 2002.



The article titled “Professional Conduct Procedure-The KPB Version” dealt with Dominica’s economic citizenship programme and the court heard that Linton also commented on the article in a radio broadcast on 26 February 2002. 



Accountant Keiron Pinard-Byrne told the court he had been defamed by Linton and two others, Islands Communication Corporation Limited which operates the local radio station and Raglan Riviere, who operates a website styled 'Sir Raglan Presents'.



In handing down the ruling, High Court judge, Justice Brian Cottle said that the defendant, especially Linton “remained unapologetic”.



In addition to the EC$50,000 in damages that both Linton and the owners of the radio station must pay, the judge also ordered that they pay costs of EC$14,000 each.



Riviere was ordered to pay damages totaling EC$10,000.



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