MP Donovan Williams demands retraction and apology from Councillor Rosalie Hamilton over alleged defamatory remarks

Lawyers representing junior government minister Donovan Williams have given his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) colleague, Rosalie Hamilton, 48 hours to issue a “full, unequivocal public retraction and apology” for comments she allegedly made in multiple voice notes circulating across social media platforms.

Hamilton is the councillor for the Rae Town Division, which falls within the Kingston Central constituency represented by Williams.

The voice notes have been widely circulated, primarily on WhatsApp and TikTok.

Richardson Law Chambers, the law firm retained by Williams, wrote to Hamilton on Tuesday demanding that she immediately cease and desist from allegedly making or publishing any further defamatory statements, and remove all offending videos and voice notes from various social media platforms.

Additionally, the letter requested that Hamilton take immediate steps to retract the alleged false statements contained in the voice notes and to mitigate the damage caused by their publication.

“The contents of the said video are wholly untrue, and our client categorically rejects each and every assertion made therein,” the letter stated.

“The natural and ordinary meaning of your words is to lower our client in the estimation of right-thinking members of society, expose him to public ridicule and contempt, and undermine his integrity, credibility, and standing as a public official,” it claimed.

The letter further stated that the public retraction and apology should be made in terms approved by Williams’ attorneys and published on TikTok and any other social media platform where the voice notes were disseminated.

The attorneys said they have been instructed to pursue all legal remedies against Hamilton without further notice if she fails to comply with the demands within the 48-hour timeframe.

This, they said, would include the initiation of defamation proceedings in the Supreme Court, along with applications for injunctive relief “and all attendant reliefs available at law.”

“We trust good sense will prevail; otherwise, fail to act at your own peril.”

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