Former Grotto Home supervisor demands apology

Ann Solomon-Charles (in the center)

Former supervisor of the Grotto Home for the Homeless, Ann Solomon-Charles through her lawyer, J. Gildon Richards, is demanding a public apology and retraction from a talk show host, a media house and two officials of Grotto Home board, for alleged defamatory statements made about her.

Richards has written, on Charles’ behalf, to Kairi FM’s ‘Heng’ talk show host, Kamala Jno Baptiste-Aaron, managing director of Kairi FM, Frankie Bellot, chairman of the Grotto board, Ainsworth Irish and  board member, Parry Bellot.

According to the letters dated December 29, 2012, the recipients are to pay costs and among other things, to write an apology to be aired on Kairi FM and QFM on terms and conditions to be agreed to by her lawyer.

“Your said defamatory publication has attracted to my client, public embarrassment, hatred, disrespect, unwarranted distress and is capable of lowering her in the minds of reasonable members of the society,” the letter stated.

The individuals to whom the letters have been sent have been given until January 14, 2013 to publish a “full and complete withdrawal and an apology in terms to be approved by Solomon-Charles before being published.

“Consistent with my instructions I must ask you to let us have a reply by return post on or before Monday January 14, 2013. In the meantime, you must clearly understand that my client reserves all her rights in the matter inclusive of her right to institute legal proceedings against you for an appropriate remedy,” the letter said.

Solomon-Charles’ letter comes against the background of investigations into allegations of misappropriation of funds at the Grotto Home.

When contacted for his comments on the matter, Grotto board member, Parry Bellot, called the demand letter “rubbish” and said “I will respond to it but really don’t care about it since it does not deserve an answer.”

Meantime DNO understands that Grotto board chairman, Ainsworth Irish, is not happy and has vowed to reopen the case after the investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) revealed that there were no criminal irregularities at the Grotto and closed their investigations in the matter.

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42 Comments

  1. True or false
    January 16, 2013

    “Your said defamatory publication has attracted to my client, public embarrassment, hatred, disrespect, unwarranted distress and is capable of lowering her in the minds of reasonable members of the society,” the letter stated.
    I often wonder ! Some folk just hope to be lucky sometimes

  2. TootTooBoshe
    January 16, 2013

    Ann Solomon,(Sister)At your hair salon you gave and gave.When you decided to join the Grotto Home it was out of genuine and heartfelt love for the less fortunate among us.

    Lady you worked hard and begged on this institution’s behalf,does anyone know how many calls you made,seeking assistance for folks?

    With a heavy heartnI read the comments on here when the story first broke,where are those bloggers now? When all your siblings left for America,you stayed and you being one of the first to get through in Barbados,now they saying you ran Miami,my dear you could have been living in Florida ages ago.

    Ann (Sister) you trusted some people,who as yyou turned your back divulged the conversations you had and said “don’t call my name” and some people took that and run because they looking for political mileage.

    As far as I’m concerned you do not have to sue them,just stand back,be still and see what’s going to happen,be not deceived ,god is never mocked for whatsoever a man soweth that he’ll also reap.look around for all the bad Johns,where are they?because we can do as much as we want but not for as long as we want.Jah go quail some of us soon.

    Stand strong my Sister,I know you through my Dad and he always say “Love many,Trust Few”.

  3. Oust Them!
    January 15, 2013

    :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: :?: DNO seems to be one of the puppets of these criminals!Everytime i write the truth,u all remove my comments!If u all want me to call judgement on u,it won’t be long before it falls on u and this site will not exist!So when i make a righteous comment please post it!

    ADMIN: Many of your comments directly accuse people. Who are the criminals you talking about? Have they been convicted in court of law of any crimes to be labeled “criminals?” As long as your comments put us at risk of lawsuits or the like, we will not post them. Read the disclaimer.

  4. Distured
    January 14, 2013

    Finally~!!

    Make em suffer~!! I know u for along time Ann. Voleh you are not~!!

    We are dealing with proud people…Too proud to apologize. Hence, they have a serious lack in leadership quality…sadly, this is the “Barabbas” the masses “always” elect and select.

    sigh…

  5. Blue Ray
    January 14, 2013

    Well done Mrs Solomon.

  6. african queen
    January 14, 2013

    nice to see mr embe i remember him.

  7. Deauditor
    January 14, 2013

    I fully endorse Mrs.Charles intention of settling this matter in the courts. Before she does however, she should disclose the name of the ungrateful present management person and family she fed regularly with food from the Grotto home. Further, she should also tell us what percentage of the donation (foodstuff)by the Police Welfare Association about two years ago reached the Grotto.

  8. Conscience
    January 14, 2013

    Everybody is talking but which one that would take on the job Ann was doing. I am waiting to see. You all better apologize to the woman quick & thank the lady. I hope that they pay the next person much better since these jobs are supposed to be high paying.

  9. Anonymous
    January 14, 2013

    Emby !!!!!!!!!!! Good to see you. Makes me think of Ugly Willy, he was a vagrant but such a gentleman.

  10. TO SAD
    January 14, 2013

    Sad you are sooo right.

  11. Met Yo
    January 14, 2013

    Thats it wi……I wash my hands on that place……When this incompetent board is dissmissed we will see about resuming our commitments to the Grotto

  12. Dominican abroad
    January 14, 2013

    They are so damn quick to judge no ownder nothing last in that place.

  13. La plaine
    January 14, 2013

    Hummmmmm

  14. BRAIN DAMAGE
    January 13, 2013

    If CID found out there was no irregularities against the lady, why should Irish think he is the bigger boss.
    Ann start to make some money.

    • Observer
      January 14, 2013

      It is the saem CId that found soemthing wrong with the investigatiosn into the 2010 Christmas fire and we are fuming about arrests. Infact those implicated have been sodomized, charged, tried and executed on the talk shows. How interesting

    • Peeping Tom
      January 14, 2013

      Maybe there is now new evidence available?

      • Hmmm
        January 14, 2013

        PT…you must take it easy Garcon.

      • Troy
        January 14, 2013

        What new evidence, planted evidence, this is ridiculous. Mrs Charles sue their behind for defamation of character etc, this nonsense needs to stop, only in Dominica

        Make sure that you sue them for a hefty price, not peanuts

  15. Divo
    January 13, 2013

    I SMELL A RAT…..

  16. ???????????
    January 13, 2013

    To Mr Richards and Ms Solomon… Deal with all the parties in the most appropriate way. It’s just about time.

    • IPO
      January 14, 2013

      Crime Minister, thief, volaire, murderers, teeth, Prime Minister is corrupt…is the accpeted language on radio.

  17. Free Thinker
    January 13, 2013

    A good name is the only thing a person goes to their grave with. If there was no misappropriation on the part of Mrs Solomon-Charles then those involved should be mature enough and clear her name. A persons good name is priceless.

  18. Anonymous
    January 13, 2013

    apologize to ms.ann she deserves it…she did only good for the Grotto. i can guarantee if she was there today that man would never be left to sleep outside and not even given a plate of food…SHAME ON YOU ALL ON THAT BOARD!!!!!! :-|

  19. O my
    January 13, 2013

    What a surprise that the “Expert/Consultant Journalist” went on with this story with a “Productivity Consultant” while they had no substantial evidence on the matter. I thought it was only Matt, Lennox and Angelo who did that kind of journalism.

    Apologise and get on with it.

  20. Forrest Gump
    January 13, 2013

    Ainsworth Irish is an Assistant Superintendent of Police who has spent more than two thirds of his career in the CID. If the CID has closed the investigation and found no criminal culpability under what law or what authority does he have to reopen the investigation? I’d like to know since there are lots of other investigations that have been closed that I’d like reopen. Irish I have one word for you: utter rubbish!

    • pomme ce terre
      January 14, 2013

      That’s 2 words

      • Brathwait
        January 14, 2013

        you must know by now that “utter rubbish” was changed to one word by former police chief carrette

  21. labourite at heart
    January 13, 2013

    Is that that bad!

  22. Anonymous
    January 13, 2013

    How is he going to re-open the case, If no evidence was found?

  23. Patience
    January 13, 2013

    Very good Ann.
    Sue them! I thought Irish, as a senior police officer was smarter than this. The CID investigation proved them wrong and now is your turn to make some money on them…and donate it to the Grotto!

  24. MIA
    January 13, 2013

    First, Parry talk about the 80% public servants that not doing their work, then he go talking about the Solomon lady. De man just like to run his mouth!!!

  25. TOLLEB HSIRI
    January 13, 2013

    when men feel they have power they will go to any length to victimize their victims but their time will come… GOD does not sleep and all rope have an end… wicked, decitful and evil are what we have in authority pretending to be so Godly… no wonder some of them are so tormented and cannot sleep at nights… :lol: :lol: :lol:

  26. ROSEAU VALLEY
    January 13, 2013

    For now, I shall only say interesting, especially after reading that the investigations by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force has revealed that there were no criminal irregularities at the Grotto and closed their investigations in the matter.

    I have written a series of articles on another website that I have titled “Suing to protect the cancer of corruption in Dominica” but in this case, if what I am reading is true, I support the action of Mr. Gildon Richards for taking legal action in suing to protect hard working innocent Dominicans who are being used as a scapegoat for the corrupt politicians and their UN-productive consultants and Inspectors.

    As I had previously stated, this entire story appeared to be politically motivated. This was based on “leaked” information in the same modus operandi of some individuals-“productivity Consultant and Inspector” -Board members to a rum loving-DLP supporting, ex-Police Officer, who first broke the story on the Upper Level programme before the said consultant ran to the Heng on Kairi to make all sorts of wild allegations against the said supervisor.

    When I read the matter on DNO, I expressed the view that it would in fact be a sad situation if the evidence from the ongoing investigation were to support the allegations reported by Mr. Bellot. But I was concerned that in this highly politically charged society in which we live, attempts may have been made by the unscrupulous individuals to destroy the good name of others for political and other reasons.

    Based on certain observations, something did not seem right with the initial report and I urged DNO to exercise caution in its publication as Matt did with the same messenger when he attempted to spread the same cancer on Q95.

    I questioned
    – whether the Director of Audit was involved in the investigations.
    – Whether any qualified audit opinion had been expressed in the past on the management of the public funds given to the Grotto;
    – Whether the Board itself is prepared to accept its own responsibility or lack of accountability and its own failure to ensure effective internal controls and oversight;
    – Were the allegations to be true, I asked whether any Board member was involved in renting any of the assets like a concrete mixer belonging to the Grotto and pocking the funds; and
    – What was the role of the Treasurer, who is responsible for signing cheques? (not the accused Supervisor)

    Clearly, the supervisor was operating on a basis of trust that Mr. Bellot and Irish (Board Members) may have violated in their rush to judgment as it is well known that the supervisor who has been falsely accused has over the years served with great commitment, dedication and pride, while making tremendous personal sacrifices to ensure that the Grotto inmates were comfortable in the absence of adequate resources.

    It was my observation then, and I am relieved to learn now that this entire matter was orchestrated for political consumption and a deliberate and malicious attempt to tarnish the name of good citizen. Things were certainly not as grave as Mr. Bellot had portrayed and now, Parry, the Inspector and others must face the legal music of Mr. Richards on behalf of his client for the public embarrassment, hatred, disrespect, unwarranted distress that the defamatory publication has attracted to his client.

    May the chips now fall where they may. I am sure that all experienced journalists, who know journalism at the back of their hands, productivity consultants and Inspectors of police are quite capable of defending themselves.

    Respectfully
    Roseau valley

    • Politics
      January 14, 2013

      Roseau Valley seems to know something more than we know

  27. T mama
    January 13, 2013

    Ann stand up for your rights…you worked tooo hard for them to do that to you….

  28. Have a Heart
    January 13, 2013

    Can’t believe after the lady take care of persons who are unable to help themselves in anyway. Wake early, spend late nights; the BOD would be that ungrateful. There are persons in grotto who have familes who are able to take of them and they do nothing to help. No one can EVERY repay Mrs.Ann Solomon for her work at the grotto. Lets ask and investigate if they member of the board so care…how many of them have ever lifted a finger to help the helpless at the home. Mrs. Solomon your reward is in heaven……God bless you in trhough your retirement. You have begged enough to put food on the plates of the helpless at grotto.

  29. Agatha
    January 13, 2013

    If CID investigted it and found no misappropriation of funds, what is the point of reopening the case? People jus like roro?

  30. Doc.Love
    January 13, 2013

    Their is a saying,”when your friend beard has caught fire,put as much water on yours as possible”. All them manager of radio station,all those female talk show host,all those famous lawyers turned talk show host who enjoyed a feast of glory when Mr. Linton was sued for making certain statements on his show never thought that one day the same thing would happen to them.Mrs Ann Charles,you need no public apology,what you need is to sue all of them immediately.

  31. Looking in
    January 13, 2013

    …run Solomon….run run run…

  32. A Voice
    January 13, 2013

    Wow, nice to see Emby man. The brother still trodding on…

  33. Hmmmm....
    January 13, 2013

    Ruin someone’s reputation without cause (as per results of investigation) and yet you remain without remorse for the harm caused. These are the persons who cry everyday about character assassination when the apparent target is one of their own. The hypocrisy of these individuals is alarming.

    • Sad
      January 14, 2013

      I agree with this statement 100%…The board went all over the radio bashing Mrs. Solomon-Charles’s reputation when they should have known better.I mean so Irish is saying that he is not confident with the police force he represents ; that is , CID stating that there were no criminal irregularities. Please apologise to the lady who has given her life for the homeless. Have a heart I mean … and be a man! As for Parry you could not have done half of the good deeds that Mrs. Charles has done to assist the Grotto….

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