Jarrett strikes back against second defamation suit by JC’s Robinson, ex-board members
ONE MONTH after the Supreme Court dismissed the claim brought against him by Jamaica College (JC) acting Principal Wayne Robinson, former JC Old Boys’ Association (JCOBA) President Major Basil Jarrett is defending another lawsuit filed by Robinson and nine former members of the JC board.
Jarrett’s defence, which was filed in the Supreme Court last September, asks the court to strike that claim as well, alleging that the claimants have no reasonable grounds for bringing a defamation claim against him.
In his affidavit, Jarrett sets out that he made the now-contentious comments during an online meeting of the St Andrewbased school’s parent-teacher association (PTA), where he was asked to give a reason for resigning from the PTA executive a few weeks earlier.
Jarrett said his response to that question was lifted from the meeting chatroom and disingenuously applied to the JC board, with the 10 individuals suggesting that it referred to them.
He further states that the lawsuit is an abuse of the court process that was being pursued in order to have him removed from the school board after he refused to go along with a planned move to retain former Principal Ruel Reid, who is facing corruption allegations.
The claim against Jarrett was brought by Robinson, JC Chairman Lance Hylton, former Chairman Michael Bernard, St Andrew Custos Ian Forbes, Errol Holmes, Jimmy Hylton, Alan Beckford, Anthony Robinson, Renee Rattray, and student Dominique Platt.
Jarrett has also raised issues with Platt’s inclusion in the lawsuit, as at the time of the filing, Platt was a teenage student and his guardians were neither consulted nor notified of his inclusion in the court action.
Platt’s guardians have since asked the school board to remove him, but he remains a member of the claim.
Jarrett is being represented by King’s Counsel Walter Scott and attorney Danielle Archer.