BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – POPULAR local radio personality and owner of Sugar City Rock 90.3 FM Radio Station Valentine ‘Val T’ Thomas has confirmed that the Memorandum of Understanding he signed earlier this year with Eurick Dorset is as a direct result of conversations between himself and Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil L. Douglas.
In recent months, rumours have been circulating concerning a possible shift of ownership of the radio station from Thomas’ sto those of Dorset. SKNVibes understands that an agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between Thomas and Dorset on Sunday, February 1, 2009, which effected that Sugar City Rock would be leased to Dorset for a three-year period.
The agreement provides for Thomas to restore the company to the Register of Companies (before Feb, 28, 09) and pay outstanding licencing fees, taxes and duties required for operation after which “the company shall lease the operation and broadcast of the station exclusively to the Grantee [Dorset]” for a three-year period.
In an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, Thomas explained that following the signing of the lease, he took actions of his own accord which may not have been in keeping with the signed MOU.
“I changed the locks because I wanted out of the lease because I found out, through a lawyer, that the Memorandum of Understanding may not have been properly constructed. I was in charge of the station for about three weeks and, while there, I put the Dupont Experience and Washie on the air and I also started to run meetings for the People’s Action Movement. I introduced a morning show, a 9-11 show where you speak with members of the People’s Action Movement hosted by Denise Alleyne.”
Thomas explained it was during the time that he took control of the radio station that an injunction was filed against him, granted by His Lordship Justice Francis Belle on Friday, June 12.
In his judgment, Justice Belle ordered that Thomas or any agent acting on his behalf should not trespass “on lands leased by the Applicant [Dorset] situate at Greenlands, Basseterre” nor should they enter “upon and remaining on the said premises leased by the Applicant”.
Since the granting of the injunction, lawyer Sylvester Anthony, on Dorset’s behalf, filed papers at the court to have Thomas committed to prison for an alleged breach of that injunction.
Anthony told the court that it is not his client’s intention or will to have Thomas committed to prison but rather for it to be understood that the order of the court must be upheld. His Lordship indicated that the court would only resort of committal for a breach as a “last resort” and instead gave a strong reprimand to Thomas.
During a court hearing held on Tuesday (June 23) at the Basseterre High Court of Justice, it was revealed that Thomas sought to bring an end to the MOU by refunding monies in the sum of approximately $61 000 to Dorset through his lawyer, but it was returned.
Anthony’s submission to the court on that issue was that the payment of the sum is only in keeping with part of the 16th clause of the Memorandum of Understanding which reads, “Either party may terminate this agreement by giving the other at least six months written notice. However, in the event the Grantor terminates this agreement prior to its expiration any cost incurred by the Grantee in respect of the restoration of the company to the Companies Register shall be immediately refundable to the grantee.”
Thomas’ application to discharge the injunction granted by the court was also dismissed during that hearing. The injunction, according to the Judge’s ruling, is in effect for three months and could only be discharged before then, should Thomas comply with the 16th clause of the MOU.
Confirming allegations that Prime Minister Douglas was the driving force behind the agreement, Thomas said: “The conversation took place between myself and Douglas not between Dorset and myself. Dorset was just a front man for the lease. The lease is signed by Dorset but all the money that was put up, except two cheques in March and April, was from Dr. Denzil Douglas in his office at Government Headquarters, Church Street. He is the financier for this and, as far as I see, he calls the shots. He is the one that decided that he doesn’t want any PAM meetings or anything to do with the People’s Action Movement on the station and he is the one who decided he doesn’t want Washie on the station.”
The Sugar City Rock owner explained that he was to have entered into a similar agreement with local businessman Damian Hobson but was talked out of it by the Prime Minister.
“I had an arrangement with Damian Hobson to lease the station. The Prime Minister found out, he came to the hospital where I was, JNF, and he asked me to stop the arrangement with Damian Hobson. And when he asked me to stop the arrangement, he took the arrangement that I had in my hand for Damian Hobson. He carried it with him and when he came back to me he told me that he have a better arrangement for me. That is why I chose to go with him. We have returned all the money that was in this arrangement to Dorset’s lawyer and they refused the money.”
SKNVibes made attempts to contact the Prime Minister through his Press Secretary Erasmus Williams, who informed that the Prime Minister was in Cabinet and was not available for comment. Williams, when asked for a comment about the Sugar City Rock situation, said he had none and advised that counsel be contacted as “this is a legal matter”.
Attempts were also made to contact Dorset but those too were futile.
