Grant says he’ll cross law suit bridge when it comes!

By Stanford Conway
Editor-in-Chief, SKNVibes.com

Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement Lindsay Grant and his Deputy Eugene Hamilton at the Ocean  Terrace Inn

This statement was made in response to a question asked by a media representative during a Press Conference hosted by the PAM at the Ocean Terrace Inn on Monday, May 19.

“I have heard certain things in the media about law suits by the Prime Minister. I am yet to receive a law suit and, as I have said before, when the law suit comes I will deal with the matter at hand. I am really not afraid of any law suits! My professional career is such that I have dealt with them on a daily basis so they do not scare me.

“What will continue is that democracy will prevail, freedom of speech will continue and I will continue to do what I am doing, which is ensure that there is a check and there is a balance on the government….and to ensure that matters such as this are ventilated in the public domain and given their fullest hearing. I will cross the bridge of the law suit when it comes,” he said.

Asked if he had received any other correspondence on the matter, Grant responded in the affirmative, but declared that he had no time to read it.

“Actually, I arrived this morning in my office to find one letter…that’s the only one that I know of haven’t looked clearly at the contents because I was preparing to come here. But that’s the only letter received as regards this matter, the law suit, and that was received and on my desk probably late Friday afternoon.” ~~Adz:Right~~

With respect to statements he made in the recent past concerning properties owned by Prime Minister Douglas, Grant told the media that he had outlined the various properties owned by the Prime Minister and they were all facts.

“One can search the records of the Registry…they are there for everyone to see. I have spoken about the unethical conduct of the Prime Minister in this relationship with the Taiwanese government in renting properties at Adams Hill, I maintain that and I will continue to say it. So, if it is wrong to say something that is right then the court will be my judge.”

Last week, a release from the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister indicated that Dr. Douglas had instructed his counsel to take legal action against Grant and the Democrat newspaper “to ensure that Mr. Grant and the Democrat are made to pay for their reckless and irresponsible allegations and conduct”.

A statement issued last week Wednesday by Dr. Douglas’ attorney, Senior Counsel Anthony Astaphan of Dominica noted what he describes as “a very disturbing trend taking place in the OECS”.

“In recent times, political parties in opposition have fabricated strategies of ambush and destruction directed at sitting Prime Ministers. These strategies and their implementation are known as weapons of mass deception. The politically crafted weapons of mass deception are designed to destroy the reputations of political Leaders and Prime Ministers.
Opposition parties have been advised that that is the only way for them to win an election,” Astaphan said.

According to Astaphan, Grant and the PAM have joined the campaign and fabricated weapons of mass deception directed at the Prime Minister of St. Christopher and Nevis Dr. Denzil Douglas.

“They have in the Democrat and on Voice of Change 6 deliberately and falsely accused Dr. Douglas of corruption with regard to the rental of property owned by him to the Embassy of Taiwan and of the corrupt use of the office of Prime Minister to improperly accumulate specific Crown and other lands. These allegations are nothing more than part of an engineered political strategy calculated to discredit the Prime Minister and Political Leader of the St. Christopher and Nevis Labour Party,” Astaphan said.

He said the allegation that Dr. Douglas acted corruptly in the rental of his property to Taiwan is “false and defamatory”.

“There was and is no corruption, misfeasance or illegality in the rental of private property by a Prime Minister to a foreign Embassy or Government. There is no rule or law whatsoever in the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis which prevents or prohibits any elected Minister or Prime Minister from conducting private business while in public office. It matters not that a foreign state is involved,” said Senior Counsel Astaphan.

“Further,” Astaphan said, “corruption, misfeasance or illegality requires (i) improper use of public office and property of the Crown and (ii) a dishonest and corrupt intent. At no time and under no circumstances in the relation to the rental of his property to the Embassy of Taiwan did Dr. Denzil Douglas use his office improperly or otherwise or have a dishonest intent. Indeed, when one reads the allegation being made, it is in vague, emotional and pejorative terms.”