Court restrains JLP councillor from defaming Kingston Central MP until July hearing

A Supreme Court judge on Monday granted an interim injunction restraining Rosali Hamilton, councillor for the Retail Division in Kingston, from making further statements deemed false or defamatory against Donovan Williams, member of parliament for Kingston Central.

The order stays in force until July 13, when the court is expected to hear submissions and make a further ruling. Williams applied for the injunction through his attorney-at-law, Rodin Richardson, on March 26, following a falling-out between the two Jamaica Labour Party representatives earlier this year.

Hamilton had circulated voice messages containing allegations against the MP in a JLP WhatsApp group. She has said she did not intend for the messages to go public or spread on social media. Her division falls within Williams's constituency, and the dispute grew heated enough that she threatened to campaign against the party in future elections for the seat.

The injunction bars Hamilton from publishing or causing to be published defamatory comments through any medium, including social media and messaging applications such as WhatsApp. It also requires her to remove or retract statements already made about Williams. A separate order prohibits Hamilton or anyone connected to her from sharing documents, pleadings, evidence or other material relating to the proceedings on public platforms.

In one voice message, Hamilton suggested there was a plot to put forward an aspirant to challenge her as councillor. She declared she would not engage in a runoff but would contest the seat on a ticket, adding: "Everything is going in the media. You want a confrontation and may go give you the confrontation. May I wait on the right time." In another message, she said Williams could not remain as MP for Kingston Central and spoke of a campaign to remove him.

Hamilton herself filed a cease-and-desist request against Williams in March, stating she feared for her safety and wanted him to stop unwelcome contact. Williams has denied any such contact and said he would not be prevented from carrying out his duties as MP. On March 25, The Observer reported that Hamilton was unfazed by a demand letter from Williams's attorney over statements attributed to her on social media; at the time she declined to comment.

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