T&T President threatens to sue radio talk-show host for defamation

(Trinidad Express) In an unprecedented move, the Office of the President has joined with the wife of the President, Reema Carmona, in threatening legal action against comedienne and talk-show host Rachel Price for “offensive” utterances made about Mrs Carmona’s attire. A release issued by the Office of the President confirmed yesterday that a pre-action protocol letter was sent last Friday to Price by attorneys acting “on behalf of Her Excellency Reema Carmona and the Office of the President in respect of certain defamatory statements”.
It is the first time the Office of the President has attached itself to potential legal proceedings being threatened on behalf of the President’s wife.
The complaint arises out of Mrs Carmona’s dress, which came into sharp focus after a picture of her, with her mid-section exposed, standing alongside the conservatively-dressed Mrs Ban Ki-Moon at a United Nations function for first ladies in New York, USA.
The picture, which was given front-page coverage by the Express, provoked widespread comment, much of it adverse.
The President stressed yesterday he would defend Mrs Carmona’s reputation as well as the dignity of his office.
“Unwarranted attacks which cross the line into defamation and which seek to bring members of the family of His Excellency the President, and by extension the Office of the President into disrepute, will not be tolerated.
“The Office of the President will be vigilant to protect the dignity of Office of the President and ensure that the citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago continue to maintain respect for the Office,” the release stated.
The release added, “The Office of the President respects and values the constitutional right of every individual to freedom of expression and the principles of fair comments. Freedom of the press remains sacrosanct. Freedom of expression is not, however a licence to defame. The pre-action protocol letter issued on the advice of senior counsel was in respect of defamatory statements only.”