Duke hits back at Montano's attorney for 'nefarious purposes'

Progressive Democratic Patriots political leader Watson Duke has demanded a public apology from Machel Montano’s attorney J Larry Williams who, on Montano’s behalf, accused Duke of using lyrics from the song Buss Head for his “own nefarious purposes.”

In a release sent to the media on Sunday, Duke complained of Williams' use of the word “nefarious” and said that he was willing to accept an apology from the lawyer – on the basis that the word was a slip on his part – and a retraction of an earlier statement that accused Duke of misappropriating lyrics from the song by Montano and Bunji Garlin.

In that statement, Williams said, "Mr Duke has not sought nor gotten approval from Mr Montano for the use of the music or lyrics to the said song. His use of the song is therefore unauthorised."

Williams also said Duke used the song and lyrics out of its original context.

Duke said, if there was no apology, he would take legal action against Williams.

Responding to the Williams' initial claims, Duke said his use of the lyrics were permitted by law since they were used in the form of a quotation.

“I have only sought to quote the soca,” Duke said in the video, “It begins by saying: ‘tell them haul deh stink and dutty, stink and dutty, huy. Doh fraid dem but run for your life. Deh come out to bus meh head. No matter what they do meh, I doh bound to dead...”

Williams, when contacted by Newsday, had no comment on the matter.

Section 10 of the copyright act says: “The reproduction of a short part of a published work in the form of a quotation shall be permitted without the authorisation of the owner of copyright, provided that the reproduction is compatible with fair dealing and does not exceed the extent justified by the purpose.”