Defamation talks
Vaz, Campbell headed to mediation over ‘malicious’ remarks
Published:Saturday | February 22, 2025 | 12:10 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter
Member of Parliament (MP) for Portland Western, Daryl Vaz, and People’s National Party (PNP) General Secretary, Dr Dayton Campbell, are set to explore mediation in an effort to amicably resolve a defamation lawsuit stemming from comments made on a political platform in July 2023.
The Supreme Court ordered mediation following a case management hearing yesterday, with the matter adjourned until July 21 for continuation.
If mediation fails, the matter will proceed to trial in July 2026.
Vaz, who also serves as the minister of science, energy, telecommunications, and transportation, filed the claim in August 2023. He alleged that during the PNP’s Clarendon North Western annual conference, Campbell made statements suggesting that Vaz lacks probity, moral integrity, and decency.
According to the nine-page claim filed by Vaz’s attorney, Campbell’s remarks were “motivated by malice” and intended to damage Vaz’s political, professional, social, and personal reputation.
“The deliberate and intended effect of the defendant’s words was to lower the claimant in the estimation of right-thinking members of society, to humiliate the claimant, and expose him to ridicule, contempt, and mockery, while asserting that the defendant ‘no fraid a nobody’,” the claim stated.
Vaz is seeking damages for defamation, including exemplary and aggravated damages, as well as an injunction to prevent Campbell from repeating the allegations. He is also requesting costs and any additional relief the court may deem appropriate.
Campbell, however, has denied the allegations, arguing that his statements were “fair comment”. His defence was filed by attorney-at-law Shena Stubbs-Gibson on December 27, 2023, four months after the suit was initiated.
The controversy extends beyond Vaz, as St Thomas Western MP James Robertson and former St Ann North Western MP Othneil Lawrence have also filed similar lawsuits against Campbell over the same remarks.
Stubbs-Gibson revealed that an application to consolidate all three cases has been adjourned until June 13.
Attorney-at-law Alexander Williams is representing Robertson, while Catherine Minto is acting on behalf of Vaz.