Attorney optimistic about legal action against Imbert over 'privacy breach'

ATTORNEY Richard Jagassar has expressed optimism about legal action against Finance Minister Colm Imbert for allegedly breaching the privacy of his client, Ramsaran Dairy Products (RDP) founder Rajnanan Ramsaran, on whether or not Ramsaran approached the EximBank for foreign exchange.

In a post on X on October 29, Imbert said he had checked with the EximBank and was told Ramsaran had “never applied to the EximBank for access to forex.”

Imbert was responding to letters Ramsaran sent to the Central Bank, Auditor General and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on October 25 about the lack of information on the distribution of forex. The letters also follow a judicial review challenge over the inability to source foreign exchange to import paper-based cartons for a new water product.

In a phone interview on November 1, Jagassar said there had been no formal responses from the Central Bank, Auditor-General or the IMF to the letters sent to each of them.

Ramsaran also wrote to Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for assistance. Jagassar said there has been a reply from the UNC, through its chairman Davendranath Tancoo, who is also chairman of the Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee.

Tancoo, he said, echoed Ramsaran’s sentiments that Imbert may have breached his privacy by asking the EximBank whether or not he had asked for forex.

Jagassar said, “We have looked into it (breach of privacy) and there seems to be several cases, extensive case law relative to breach of privacy issues, both insofar as RDP is a legal entity in corporate law as well as Ramsaran in his personal capacity.

“The case law is extensive and it looks very promising in relation to privacy and confidentiality.” In a statement on October 30, Ramsaran claimed Imbert had misrepresented RDP’s pursuit of transparency with respect to forex distribution.

“At no time did I suggest that I applied for forex support through EximBank.”

Ramsaran questioned whether inquiries Imbert made about whether his company approached the bank for forex constituted a significant breach of confidentiality. “I call on the minister to disclose whom he contacted, how he conducted these inquiries and by what authority he made these disclosures public.”

He argued that Imbert had exposed RDP to potential security risks.

“Such disclosures, especially without consent, risk the safety and security of my business, family and employees, by creating vulnerabilities that could be exploited by criminal elements.

“On behalf of the company, this is viewed as a direct breach of our right to privacy.”