ST. VINCENT-MEDIA-Radio station pays money to Gonsalves for defamation

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – A radio station has paid EC$206,122.37 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, representing the full payment for a defamation judgement the prime minister won following statements made by a radio host almost 10 years ago. “All the money was paid, but we paid in two tranches,” said social activist Junior Bacchus, who helped raise the money on behalf of Nice Radio. The money was paid on the day BDS Ltd., owners of Nice Radio, and Gonsalves’ lawyers were to return to court with the treat of receivership hanging over the station, which is widely regarded as closely aligned to the opposition New Democratic Party (NDP).