Port executive threatens lawsuit against employer

EXECUTIVE manager of Finance at the Port Authority(PATT), Curtis James, has initiated legal action against the Port Authority, seeking information on the source of an anauthorized leak of a memo on the use of a company credit card.

James also wants a written apology from the authority before May 30, and $250,000 in compensation for the harm to his reputation, as well as the legal costs he has incurred.

In a letter to the authority’s acting general manager/chief executive officer, Trudy Gill-Conlon, she was directed to a Sunday Express article on April 7, which quoted from a memo the acting GM/CEO sent a year before to James.

James’ attorney, Keith Scotland, said the authority must be aware that there was not a “scintilla of truth” to the published article, and it was apparent that the PATT “opted to malign and vilify” his client by providing the information to the newspaper, “knowing the printed statements made are false and baseless.”

He pointed out that James, when issued the credit card, used it primarily for business expenses and reimbursed the PATT when necessary. He also noted at the time there was no corporate credit card policy in place at the time, and James also formed part of the committee that implemented the first policy on corporate credit card use.

Scotland said by causing the contents of the internal memo to be published, one year after it was sent to James and the expenses fully repaid, was intended to be mischievous and malicious and intended to malign James’ character.

Scotland also noted that James has made numerous requests for the source of the “leak” though the PATT’s information technology department, but has only been told the source was identified via official phone records.

He said James has become the subject of contempt and has lowered him in the eyes of his colleagues and professional associates.

Scotland gave the PATT until the end of the month to apologise to James; to immediately provide particulars on the source of the leak; and compensate hm.

The PATT was given 14 days in which to respond to the pre-action protocol letter, failing which James will commence defamation proceedings against the authority, the letter advised.

James' letter was also copied to the newspaper.

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