LOCAL Government and Community Development Minister Desmond McKenzie last Tuesday filed a lawsuit against Opposition Senator Damion Crawford, claiming defamation in a speech Crawford made in March 2025.

In the claim filed in the Supreme Court, McKenzie, who is also the Member of Parliament for Kingston Western and a deputy leader of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, accused Crawford of “deliberately, recklessly and/or maliciously” making false statements about him at a People’s National Party meeting at Portmore Community College “on March 2, 2025”.

According to the claim, the words uttered by Crawford “in their natural and ordinary meaning… bore, and were capable of bearing” that McKenzie is “a liar and a thief… has engaged in, or committed, criminal acts…is deceptive…perpetrated a fraud upon the people of Jamaica…is not a fit and proper person to be a Member of Parliament or to hold public offices…is an untrustworthy person, and conducted himself in a manner that is unbecoming of any Parliamentarian or a public servant”.

McKenzie said the words spoken by the defendant “have been widely circulated on social media and on other online platforms, such as
BOJ TV, which have an extensive global reach, and were published to a substantial but unquantifiable number of attendees, viewers and listeners”.

The minister said that after the words were published, he had to answer questions from financiers, business interests and ordinary Jamaican citizens about his integrity.

He also claimed he has been “shunned by individuals in public spaces who have concluded that he was involved in malfeasance”.

McKenzie also claimed that despite “receipt of a letter of demand dated March 4, 2025… the defendant has failed, neglected and/or refused to apologise, retract or offer any amends whatsoever”.

The claims seeks damages, aggravated and/or exemplary damages; interest at one per cent above the commercial bank’s prime lending rate pursuant to Section 3 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act; costs; and such further or other relief as the court considers necessary or appropriate.

When the Jamaica Observer contacted Crawford for a comment last week he said he had not yet been served.