Imbert testifies in lawsuit against Jwala Rambarran

FINANCE Minister Colm Imbert has testified at the trial of his defamation lawsuit against former Central Bank governor Jwala Rambarran.

Imbert claimed an article on Rambarran’s website – www.jwalarambarran.com – on June 9, 2019, was defamatory. The post related to a judge’s ruling on Rambarran’s freedom of information challenge in an attempt to get information on the minister’s alleged communication with the director of the G-24 Secretariat on International Monetary Affairs and Development in Washington DC.

Rambarran was seeking a position as a senior advisor at the G-24 Secretariat.

Imbert’s claim alleges that the words contained in Rambarran’s blog meant or inferred he abused his power as a minister, wanted to destroy the former governor by ensuring he remained unemployed and intervened and blocked his appointment to the G-24 Secretariat.

Imbert’s claim also says the publication brought him into public scandal, odium and contempt and his character and reputation were severely injured.

He is seeking compensation for the general tone of the article and the inflammatory and denigratory language used especially since, he said, Rambarran did not verify any of the information he wrote about.

On Monday, the minister was cross-examined by Rambarran’s attorney, Anand Ramlogan, SC, at the trial at the Waterfront Judicial Centre, Port of Spain, before Justice Kevin Ramcharan.

Imbert denied having a “politically” contentious relationship with the former governor and said Rambarran called him an OJT minister which he, Imbert, found “disrespectful.”

“It was unfair criticism.”

He also said comments he made about Rambarran were not disrespectful as there was context.

Imbert said his refusal on the disclosure of the documents Rambarran sought was based on legal advice and Rambarran’s blog was more than a synopsis of the court’s ruling.

He denied making prejudicial statements about Rambarran to the G-24 Secretariat’s director and said after the blog’s publication, he was accused of being a racist.

Imbert also rejected that the public’s comments were not based on the blog but on general public perception.

Also on Monday, Rambarran was questioned by Imbert’s lead attorney Russell Martineau, SC. He denied his inability to secure work was based on his public comments on foreign exchange disbursements while as governor.

“You were the architect of your own misfortunes,” said Martineau.

“I do not think so,” Rambarran said.

The trial continues on December 4.

Rambarran was appointed Central Bank Governor in July 2012, and his contract was terminated in December 2015.

The decision came shortly after Rambarran announced that TT was in a recession and after he revealed the biggest foreign exchange users in the country.

Last year, a High Court judge ruled he was wrongfully dismissed.

That decision has been appealed.