Leader of the United Workers Party Allen Chastanet has been ordered by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court to pay Parliamentary Representative for Castries Central Richard Frederick “damages in the sum of $60 000 together with pre-judgement interest at the rate of 3 per cent”.
According to official court documents, the lawsuit arose from a video posted on Facebook on May 2, 2023, in which Chastanet addressed the sale of a parcel of land at Bananes. Frederick indicated that the video accused him of “corruption, dishonesty, misleading the Parliament of Saint Lucia, abusing his office, and being unfit for public office”. He claimed that it “caused serious harm to his personal and political reputation” and sought damages, including aggravated damages, and an injunction.
The video attracted widespread public interest, given that Frederick served as Minister for Housing and Chastanet as Leader of the Opposition.
The Court indicated that Chastanet’s “evidence revealed a pattern of assumption-based assertions rather than fact-based allegations”. The documents also showed that Chastanet “could not establish a factual basis for the serious imputation of corruption or dishonesty”.
The Court also granted a permanent injunction restraining Chastanet from any “similar defamatory allegations concerning the Claimant imputing lying to Parliament, corruption, abuse of office, or dishonesty relating to the sale of land at Bannanes”.
In a press statement, Chastanet said he respected the decision but believes there are “very strong and compelling grounds of appeal”.
He said he had “thus far only received the Judge’s oral summary of the decision”.
