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Former Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president David John-Williams has promised libel action against Guardian Media Limited and its investigative reporter Mark Bassant, as well as to clear his name from allegations of financial misconduct related to the Home of Football project.
However, John-Williams has done neither—not yet anyway.
(Courtesy Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)
In a press statement this morning, exactly a week after Bassant’s one hour documentary entitled ‘TTFA’s Secret Panama Trail’, John-Williams declared all the allegations false. But he did not offer alternatives to the specific claims made in the CNC3 programme and subsequent Trinidad Guardian newspaper articles.
“Mr Bassant, no doubt in an attempt to immunise himself and GML from liability for their falsity, ambushed me on a golf course,” said John-Williams, “and inundated me with a series of questions and statements which I could not reasonably be expected properly to answer in the course of his ambush. I give the unqualified assurance that there are complete answers to all of Mr Bassant’s allegations.
“I have also been advised that Mr Bassant’s attempt to immunise himself and GML from liability does not have the prophylactic effect for which he and GML undoubtedly wished, and that he and GML are both liable for the false and defamatory allegations contained and made in these articles and television news stories, which they continue to publish and to carry.”
(via CNC3)
John-Williams said he has ‘engaged’ attorneys, although they have not so much as issued a pre-action protocol letter to GML—let alone initiated libel proceedings. Instead, the W Connection president said his lawyers are reviewing his documentation, after which they should ‘advise’ him. John-Williams expects to lay charges at that point.
He warned that Bassant and CNC3 will ‘pay dearly’ for the allegations.
“I have engaged attorneys-at-law to examine and to advise me on the material which I have in my possession and which is otherwise available to me,” he said, “and which lays bare the untruth, the distortions and the falsehoods contained in these articles and television news stories.
“Once my attorneys-at-law have completed their due diligence, I will be instructing the filing of legal proceedings against GML and Mr Bassant for these odious and contemptible allegations which have caused my family and myself incomprehensible distress.”
John-Williams suggested that his attorneys will decide how much of his supposed defence to Bassant’s allegations will be shared with the public.
(Copyright CA-Images/Wired868)
“To the extent that I am permitted by my attorneys-at-law to do so, I also propose to make publicly available the material which I have in my possession and which is otherwise available to me,” he said, “which will show all of these allegations to be baseless.”
John-Williams might also have to show his ‘material’ to the Fraud Squad, as the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) opened an investigation into his conduct this week.
Former TTFA president David John-Williams’ full response to TTFA Secret Panama Trail:
Over the past few days, Guardian Media Limited (GML) has published several articles in its Guardian Newspaper and has carried several news stories on its television station, CNC3, all created by Mr Mark Bassant, and in the course of which allegations of wrongdoing have been levelled against me in connection with the construction of the TTFA’s ‘Home of Football’ during my tenure as TTFA president. All of the allegations made against me are false.
Prior to publishing these allegations, Mr Bassant, no doubt in an attempt to immunise himself and GML from liability for their falsity, ambushed me on a golf course and inundated me with a series of questions and statements which I could not reasonably be expected properly to answer in the course of his ambush.
(Courtesy MSYA)
I give the unqualified assurance that there are complete answers to all of Mr Bassant’s allegations.
I have also been advised that Mr Bassant’s attempt to immunise himself and GML from liability does not have the prophylactic effect for which he and GML undoubtedly wished, and that he and GML are both liable for the false and defamatory allegations contained and made in these articles and television news stories, which they continue to publish and to carry.
I have engaged attorneys-at-law to examine and to advise me on the material which I have in my possession and which is otherwise available to me and which lays bare the untruth, the distortions and the falsehoods contained in these articles and television news stories.
Once my attorneys-at-law have completed their due diligence, I will be instructing the filing of legal proceedings against GML and Mr Bassant for these odious and contemptible allegations which have caused my family and myself incomprehensible distress. Further, after their review thereof and to the extent that I am permitted by my attorneys-at-law to do so, I also propose to make publicly available the material which I have in my possession and which is otherwise available to me, which will show all of these allegations to be baseless.
(Courtesy Sean Morrison/Wired868)
In the meantime, I deprecate in the strongest terms possible GML’s and Mr Bassant’s attempts to elevate sensationalism and character-assassination to the ranks of journalism and I await my day in court when I will clear my name and cause GML and Mr Bassant to account dearly for their libel.
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Courts of law are not about semantics or staged shams and therefore evidence will have to be presented in order to deny or uphold any cases brought before the court. So we await these court battles, should they even occur.
During DJW’s tenure as President of the TTFA he seemed to have lost most of the TTFA matters that ended up in the local courts but maybe he will end the losing streak in the courts now that he is no longer the President.
If DJW has his way, Mark Bassant is one man in T&T who will not be able to spread any COVID-19.
Not with this size gag over his face!
Fortunately, Bassant and GML have lawyers too so Bassant will still have to wear a mask.