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| Written by Khemraj Ramjattan, Attorney at Law |
| Sunday, 25 March 2012/Sunday Chronicle |
| I’VE noticed that your newspaper carried a piece last Sunday entitled “Elderly couple accuses AFC’s Ramjattan of fraud”. It seeks to tarnish my reputation as a lawyer and a politician. Though my integrity and honesty rests on very sure foundations, which no disgruntled client can sully, I think it is wise that you be brought up-to-scratch with the facts, and that you give them the same prominence in your newspapers as you gave the above article. My client, Veronica DaSilva, got the best of legal services which ensured that at two trials -- one held before Justice James Patterson and one before Justice Nandram Kissoon -- the purported Will she claimed an inheritance under was proved in solemn form. This Will was contested as being a forgery by two others. She inherited, as a result, the Estate of one Elizabeth Kailan, who was the one-third owner of the Estate of one William Kailan. The Estate of William Kailan included a property in Camp Street, and a number of other properties in Georgetown. When Veronica came to me, she had no fee to pay, and indicated that payment will be made after selling a portion of her inheritance. I believed her cause had merit, and so took on the case. I waited some nine (9) years for completion of the trials; and then the completion of the Estate matters. Upon her selling one property to one Royann Gladstone, I managed to get a portion of my fees, which, by the way, had become substantial in view of the work done, and the value of the properties in the Estate. Further litigation arose as a result of the other two heirs of William Kailan’s Estate seeking the fruits of their inheritance, which amounted to two-thirds of the Camp Street property. Mr. Peter Britton, SC, on their behalf, applied before Justice Winston Patterson to sell the property so that his clients could get their share. Veronica DaSilva, by this time, had felt she was entitled to the whole of the Camp Street property and hesitated to sell same on the ground that she lived on it for 12 years and more. She was also of the view that the two other heirs, represented by Sheik Nazeer, did not want their shares, since they were abroad permanently. This, she felt, erroneously, entitled her to the entire property. In Justice Winston Patterson’s court, the value of the property had to be decided on. Veronica said it was over $80M – she having a valuation to that effect. Mr. Britton then argued that his two inheritors would like to have their two-thirds of this value, which amounted to over $52M. Veronica was asked by the court if she wanted to pay off that sum and keep the property. She told the court she had no monies, and she will not sell the property. The Court queried of me and Mr. Britton as to a way forward, in view of the intransigence of Veronica. Mr. Britton and I proposed that the property be sold at the highest price, and the proceeds distributed -- one-third for Veronica; and two-thirds for Mr. Britton’s clients. The Court agreed, and the arrangements were put in place for the highest price. Mr. Peter Britton and I, upon persuasion of the Court, paid for an advertisement. In response to the advertisement, one businessman, Mr. Twahir, offered $30M, whilst another businessman, Mr. Ramdehol, indicated he would go to Court and increase the offer by $500,000. On the day in Court, in the presence of Justice Winston Patterson, these two businessmen offered and counter-offered right up to $55.5M. This was where, as it were, the hammer dropped. And all of this happened in Justice Patterson’s Court! Indeed, I remembered Veronica still being dissatisfied with that price and she made her position known to the Learned Judge, who told her if she wanted $80M, she had to find a buyer to that value, because the other two heirs were entitled to their shares, and cannot be held up any longer. Her conduct, the Judge had castigated, as being most dilatory and detrimental to the other heirs. I advised her accordingly. The Judge made his order that the property be sold to Twahir for $55.5M, he bidding the highest. The next day, Veronica wanted me to appeal. I said there was no basis for any appeal. She then said she wanted back her file, and she would get another lawyer to so file an appeal. I gave her the file. This all happened approximately a decade ago. I never heard of her since. I now understand that Kwame Mc Coy and a number of others, as components of the PPP’s ‘Dirty-Tricks Department’, have arranged for her to make uncomplimentary, scurrilous, and even libelous remarks about me. Kwame, on his last ‘Square Talk’ programme called me a swindler! Indeed, Veronica is now on State radio and TV, and even in the Sunday Chronicle saying how I “sellout” her case and switched sides, among other disgusting remarks. As noted, your last Sunday’s Chronicle even called me a fraud. By the way, it is not true that your newspapers ever called me before going to press. Neither do I believe that your newspapers ever checked out the accuracy of Veronica’s statements. Of course, what Veronica said I least expected from her, having been so generous in providing my legal services to her all those years when she was impecunious. But that is one of the hazards of this profession. If you did not know, Mr. Editor, I hold true to the ethics of this great profession, and will not do any harm to any client. But when a disgruntled client will be used in this way, I will be forced to set the record straight and even institute libel proceedings against those as advised by my lawyers. |
