‘Mischievous and malicious!’ Renne initiates legal action against Braveboy, after latter’s Boodan defence 

Trinidad Express investigative journalist Denyse Renne has initiated legal action against political blogger Marcia Braveboy for ‘egregious false claims and deliberate inaccuracies’, after an attack on the former’s integrity on social media.

Braveboy, in a direct response to the ‘unmasking’ of Express columnist Darryn Boodan as the corporate communications officer of Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, took to Facebook to even the score on Friday 18 December. 

In her blog, ‘Braveboy Report’, Braveboy claimed that ‘the mainstream media in bed with the PNM long time’ and went on to make allegations against a variety of journalists, editors and columnists, including Renne.

Yesterday, OCM attorney Rumeal Peters served Braveboy with a pre-action protocol letter for her troubles, which demanded: ‘an undertaking by your good self, giving assurance that the offending words in relation to my client shall not be repeated; and a full retraction of the offending words and/or the said post and an unqualified and unequivocal public apology to be approved by me on my client’s instructions’.

Braveboy claimed Renne had an ‘inappropriate’ relationship with ex-MP Maxie Cuffie. The journalist retorted that she never so much as met the former minister.

“My client never met with minister Cuffie in person, they communicated by way of telephone and e-mail and their interactions were solely professional,” stated Peters. “My client has detailed records of her communications with the minister. Furthermore, the words mentioned in the publication of the said post in their natural and/or ordinary sense and/or by way of innuendo are defamatory of my client…”

Braveboy was set a deadline of 5pm on 22 December 2020 to apologise on the requested terms—in an amended legal letter today. Renne insisted that she will defend her reputation in the High Court if necessary.

“These egregious false claims and deliberate inaccuracies against me are unfounded, mischievous and malicious,” Renne told Wired868. “I refuse to stand idly by and allow for a continuation of these falsehoods to fester. I have worked damn hard in this profession without compromising my beliefs and integrity. 

“At the end of the day, all I have is my integrity and I will jealously guard that.”

Wired868 asked Braveboy to comment on Renne’s legal threat and denial of her social media claims. She said she was advised by legal counsel not to respond.

Peters described Braveboy’s post as an ‘unjustified and unwarranted attack’.

“In these circumstances, the writing and publication of the words complained of amount to an unfair, unjustified and unwarranted attack on my client’s character and has brought her reputation into public scandal, odium and contempt,” he said. “[…] If you fail to publish the apology and retraction, then my client will be constrained to seek recourse through appropriate legal measures.”

More from Wired868

MSJ: T&T Labour movement can breathe after Rowley’s relentless attacks

“[…] The 10 years under the Dr Keith Rowley-led PNM saw a vicious attack on the trade union movement and Read more

Noble: PNM, quo vadis? Anatomy of T&T’s electoral results

“There are two things that are important in politics,” said Mark Hanna, a 19th-century businessman and political kingmaker in Cleveland, Read more

Daly Bread: Bouncing divided heads—can T&T prevent itself splitting in two?

The level of divisiveness in our small island nation—about which I gave examples in my recent columns—will undoubtedly compound the Read more

Daly Bread: Are Padarath and Kamla in sync? And what to make of PNM Changemakers?

Since her return from Opposition to the office of prime minister, Kamla Persad-Bissessar (Kamla) has been putting great emphasis on Read more

Noble: The Testy Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar—and the tale of the Penal-Debe Campus

Over the past few weeks, Kitchener’s 1961 calypso Take yuh meat out of meh rice kept ringing in my ears. Read more

Daly Bread: Slipping self-restraint—can our gov’ts go beyond finger pointing?

Amanda Gorman, aged 27, is a poet, writer and activist.  She was the first US national youth poet laureate.  She Read more

Lasana Liburd

Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.