Morgan, Morris lock horns over alleged defamatory comments
CLARENDON NORTH Central Member of Parliament Robert Morgan has hit back at Mocho Division councillor-candidate Romaine Morris’ defamation claims, asserting that his lawsuit threat is an attempt to “dilute or circumvent the truth”.
In a letter dated February 2, 2024, Morgan – through his attorney, Alexander Shaw – denied defaming Morris and insisted that statements made by him three weeks ago were accurate.
“As you are aware, the law of defamation only protects an individual against untrue statements. If the defendant in any matter can prove that his statement is true of the plaintiff, he will have a complete defence, as no one is entitled to protect a reputation he does not really possess. This principle is applicable in the instant case,” said a section of the letter, which was seen by The Gleaner.
Morris threatened to file a defamation suit against Morgan, the country’s de facto information minister, over allegations of impropriety he reportedly made last month.
He has given Morgan 10 days to apologise and three days to remove comments and content he says have “besmirched” his reputation from all his social media platforms.
The two had a public spat three weeks ago, a spillover from Morris’ crossing of the floor at the Clarendon Municipal Corporation to join the opposition People’s National Party (PNP) in January.
Morris, whose division falls within the Clarendon North Central constituency, was elected on a Jamaica Labour Party ticket in 2016.
The councillor candidate for the PNP made the demands via his attorney, Charles Ganga-Singh, in a letter dated January 26, 2024, a copy of which The Gleaner has also seen.
CEASE AND DESIST LETTER
“This missile [sic] serves as a caution for you to cease and desist from making, attempting to make, encouraging others to make any defamatory statement, comments, videos, partake in any defamatory interviews with regard to Mr Romaine Morris,” the letter said.
It added that Morgan had engaged in a radio interview which contained “several malicious and disparaging statements and innuendos” against Morris.
Further, it said that Morgan made “gravely defamatory” comments that were published on several social media accounts owned and/or operated by him.
“Your actions have maliciously besmirched the reputation of Mr Morris, who is an eminent and highly respected citizen and politician, whose influence spreads far and wide, nationally.
“It is hard to imagine a more damaging series of libels of Mr Morris which are calculated to cause him and his family serious and lasting damage in his public and private life as they erode his integrity and paints a very distrusting image in the minds of right-thinking individuals,” the document added.
Morris is demanding that Morgan produces and delivers a letter with an “unqualified” apology in terms that will be dictated by his attorney.
He also wants the apology to be disseminated across all social media platforms within three days after receiving the letter.
It is not immediately clear when the letter was delivered.
“Should these demands not be met, I have full instructions to commence legal proceedings against you forthwith to recover damages as well as aggravated damages therein,” the letter signed by Ganga-Singh said.
But Morgan’s attorney has indicated that no apology will come.
“Our client, per our instructions, has not defamed Mr Morris, and therefore urges against any attempt to dilute or circumvent the truth. We are prepared to disclose on you evidence of communication had with your client and other councillors ... . Further instructions are that remedial actions have been taken, but this does not change the truthfulness of our client’s statement at the material time,” Shaw said in the letter.