Prominent Businessman Seeks Multi-billion Compensation From Gleaner Newspaper

Photo above: Sandals’ Gordon “Butch’ Stewart.

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Mar 14, (CMC) – Prominent hotelier and businessman, Gordon “Butch” Stewart, today, said, he is taking legal action against the Gleaner newspaper, over an article it published last weekend.

In a statement, Stewart, who is also the chairman of Appliance Trades LID (ATL) Group, said, that the article “had significant negative impact on the Sandals (hotel) brand, which is the Caribbean’s leading global brand”.

According to Stewart, the article claimed that his shares in a company had been frozen due to his failure to pay legal costs to a person.

Stewart said, that the article “is false and defamatory,” adding, “this publication was, and is, factually incorrect.

“The freezing order in question is in respect of costs claimed by Jamaica Tours Limited, which is the subject of ongoing litigation in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.

“The publication therefore, in The Gleaner, is false, malicious and defamatory of Mr Stewart and has caused significant damage, not only to his reputation, but the companies which he represents,” the statement said, noting, it has also resulted “in significant losses.

“The publication was made without any reference to, or consultation with, Mr. Stewart or his representative(s) to verify the truthfulness or otherwise of the story.

“In the circumstances, in defence of his reputation and the various companies in which he has an interest, Mr. Stewart is constrained to initiate legal action against The Gleaner Company to protect his and the companies he represents reputation, and to seek damages in the region of some J$17.5 billion, approximately US$143 million, a conservative estimate.”

There has been no response as yet from the Gleaner newspaper to the suit.