(Barbados Nation) – A professor at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus has been awarded $30,000 in damages by a High Court judge after suing one of his colleagues for defamation.
Professor of educational psychology, Arthur G Richardson, brought the lawsuit against Cynthia Barrow-Giles, professor of political science and former head of the Department of Government, Sociology, Social Work and Psychology, after she wrote a letter on November 9, 2004, which accused him of, among other things, “deliberately” undermining the long teaching tradition of the department.
Chester Sue, who represented Richardson, argued that the words contained in the letter were calculated to disparage the professor in his office of director of the School of Education, that his reputation had been seriously damaged and that he had suffered considerable distress and embarrassment.
In asking the court to award his client $80,000 in damages, Sue pointed out that the letter was copied to deans and heads of departments of various faculties, as well as to the principal of the Cave Hill Campus.
