Talk show host asked to apologize or face legal action

Margaret London, a New Democratic Party (NDP) activist and host of the ‘Night Nurse’ radio programme on Nice Radio, has been accused of defaming former Rose Place resident Tammy Kirby, a Unity Labour Party (ULP) supporter.

In a letter sent to London by Ronald Marks of the law firm Marks and Marks on October 30, London has been asked to “within seven (7) days hereof cause to be published a written apology in terms to be approved {{more}}by our Chambers; that the said apology be broadcast via the same medium as that which facilitated the slander; that you publish this apology in terms set by these Chambers in all three (3) of the local newspapers; and that you call into these Chambers to arrange to pay our client compensation in accordance with the law for the harm that you have caused to her hitherto unblemished reputation.”

If London fails to meet these demands by November 7, 2015, Marks has been instructed to institute legal proceedings in the High Court where London will, “answer to the Honourable Court for your unlawful act.”

In the letter to London, Marks, acting on behalf of Kirby, who lives in Brooklyn, New York, said that he was told that, “on the 14th day of October, 2015, [London] maliciously published words concerning Kirby, which in addition to being extremely insultive, constitute a defamation of Kirby’s character that is not permitted by law.

“Your words in the context meant and were understood to mean inter alia that our client has indiscriminate sex with men when they visit the United States to attend town hall meetings.

“The words complained of were broadcast on the interactive radio programme dubbed ‘Night Nurse’ and then streamed on the Internet to a global audience. This said broadcast was facilitated by Nice Radio an entity with a history of facilitating the publication of defamatory remarks.

“These words have caused serious injury to our client’s character and has had a detrimental impact on her three (3) children and her family at large. Our client is a decent respectable woman, who hitherto, was well respected in the Vincentian community both at home and in the diaspora. Your vile and false utterances have caused her character to be subject to odium and disrepute.”

Nice Radio has also been written to by Marks and Marks on behalf Kirby and similar demands have been made of them.

Wednesday night, London, on her ‘Night Nurse’ programme on Nice radio said when she spoke in relation to Kirby, she used the words “bending over” in their truest form and they had no sexual connotation.

“…I used it in… its natural form, in a form that does not demand an interpretation….”

London said she is sorry that Kirby interpreted what she said in that light, but she would like to see the matter go to court.

“My dear lady, and your three children and your family at large, I am very sorry that you took it in that light.

“…If is one case I would love to see go to court, is this one, because my conscience is clear.”

In 2012, Nice Radio was ordered to pay Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves EC$155,000 in aggravated damages and EC$11,625 in costs for defamatory comments broadcast on the radio station.(LC)