Eastern Caribbean Appeal Court judges rejects 3 pleas filed by PM Harris

The Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal on Tuesday rejected three separate applications from St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris during a hearing at the Sir Lee Llewellyn Moore Judicial and Legal Services Complex on Tuesday.

The Justices of Appeal, His Lordship Mr. Justice Davidson Baptiste (President), Her Ladyship Gertel Thom and His Lordship Justice Mario Michel having heard arguments from both sides on Tuesday dismissed all three appeals by Dr. Harris.

Harris appealed the August 31, 2018 rulings of Justice Pearletta Lanns in two matters which favoured Leader of the Opposition the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, opposition senator, Hon. Nigel Carty; Freedom FM's Juni Liburd and owner of Disseminate It, Charles Jong. Dr. Harris also appealed a third matter in which Justice Lanns also ruled in favour of Dr. Douglas.

"Prior to going to a full trial, Prime Minister Harris applied to the Appeal Court to strike out all the matters filed by the three defendants in the three matters. Those matters were argued last year and Justice Lanns after hearing the arguments ruled in our favour and did not grant Harris' applications to strike out the defenses. It was those three decisions of Madam Justice Lanns that were appealed by Dr. Harris and it was those appeals that were heard today," defence lawyer Sylvester Anthony told Kyss FM.

Mr. Anthony added that unless Dr. Harris challenges the Appeal Court rulings in the three matters to the London-based Privy Council, the three matters will now go to trial.

"Those are very important matters. One of the law suits brought by Dr. Harris involves the Stem Cell issue and the other two cases have to do with public statements that were made at public meetings (during the 2015 General Elections campaign) and which Dr. Harris said defamed him," said Mr. Anthony.

Mr. Anthony said his defense team has filed full defenses and now that the Appeal Court has ruled are proper defenses, the matters will proceed to trial.

Douglas, Carty, Liburd and Jong were represented by Mrs. Angelina Gracey Sookoo-Bobb (presenting arguments) and Mr. Sylvester Anthony.

Dr Harris' lawyers were Dane Hamilton QC (presenting arguments) and leading Victor Dane Elliott Hamilton and Dia Forester.

Harris sued Freedom FM, Douglas, Carty and Jong alleging libel and defamation arising out of alleged statements at political meetings by Douglas and Carty. Douglas and Carty at the time were Prime Minister and Minister of Education respectively.

Liburd of Freedom FM and Jong of Disseminate It were sued for facilitating the broadcast of the public meetings.

In separate 16-page judgments on August 31, 2018, Justice Lanns ruled that the application brought by Dr. Harris to strike out, did not have any merit and that they were brought very late.