Antigua PM secures court victory against defamation lawsuit

April 28, 2023  –Loop News- Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne secured a legal victory yesterday when a High Court judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by the Chairman of the True Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, Vere Bird III.

This is according to a statement posted on the Office of the Prime Minister’s Facebook page.

Giving some background into the lawsuit, in December 2019, Vere Bird III, who is the son of former Agriculture Minister Vere Bird Jr, had filed in the High Court a suit claiming “damages for defamation against Prime Minister Browne for words published and broadcasted on Facebook.

The social media post concerned a Cabinet Decision giving Bird one acre of land for a purchase price of EC$25,0000, a rate reserved for members of parliament.

Justice Nicola Byer dismissed the defamation lawsuit and awarded costs to Prime Minister Gaston Browne. The High Court judge also ruled that the decision to grant Bird land at the cost reserved for members of parliament, when he was not a member, was improper.

Commenting on the decision, Prime Minister Browne said that the victory in the Courts is proof that standing on the truth is always a form of defence, noting that whenever he makes statements, he always ensures that they can stand on the basis of being factual.

The recent victory in the courts he said is a vindication that the truth will always prevail.