Tommy Lee Sparta saga goes on

Tommy Lee leaving the Marigot Police Station for the Melville Hall Airport for deportation
Tommy Lee leaving the Marigot Police Station for the Melville Hall Airport for deportation

The saga concerning the deportation of Tommy Lee Sparta and his entourage from Dominica earlier this year just keeps on going with Jamaica’s attorney general, Patrick Atkinson, to decide whether that island government will get involved in the matter, according to a report published in the Jamaica Gleaner.

According to the report, Atkinson has been asked to determine whether Jamaica will get involved with Tommy’s lawer, Bert Samuels, who had earlier said that he wanted to file a complaint at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), asking for compensation.

The Gleaner said the matter was discussed in correspondence written by Samuels to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jamaica.

In the correspondence, obtained by DNO, Samuels noted that the matter had reached a “new level of urgency” and it is imperative that the Jamaican government intervenes.

“Notwithstanding your best efforts to date, the lapse in time due to the inaction of the Dominican government has resulted in a new level of urgency for our clients,” the correspondence to the Jamaican government said. “We are of the view that this delay, in addition to the gravity of our previously first complaints have given rise for good grounds for Jamaica to be named as a party to institute proceedings on our client’s behalf …”

In an interview with DNO in June, Samuels said that he was giving Dominica until the end of the first week of July to respond in the matter before he proceeds to the CCJ.

In his correspondence with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as reported in The Gleaner, it appears that Samuels will go ahead and take the matter to the CCJ, “due to the inaction of the Government of Dominica, in response to a request for compensation.”

Samuels’ letter also described the matter as of “great national and regional interest to ensure that the liberties of our citizens are respected and protected.”

Tommy Lee was set to perform at a concert in Portsmouth on February 23 and is alleging that he and Oralie Russell, Junior Fraser and Mario Wallace were denied entry into Dominica, held in inhumane conditions and deported the next day without due process.

The government said he was denied entry into Dominica because of concerns for public safety.

The Dominica Association of Evangelical Churches had denounced the artiste’s appearance at the concert saying his music glorifies Satan and promotes lawlessness and violence.

 

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44 Comments

  1. The Facts
    August 20, 2014

    If only I was a lawyer, I could be part of the D/can legal team. I would stand up to that Tommy Lee and his legal team and ask some questions pertaining to the articles on Tommy Lee that, he was not welcomed in D/ca. He knew it. He even said that D/cans are trying to take his bread that he has children to support.
    Surely Tommy Lee was in communication with the D/can organizers and vice versa. What did they tell him about not being welcomed in D/ca? Yet they allowed him to come.
    Tommy Lee was also suspected of murder. He was later arrested and imprisoned. In addition, his lyrics were unbecoming. If he came to D/ca there could have been trouble.
    The man defied all what he heard and he still came. When he landed in a private plane with his entourage, he was told to return to the plane and he refused. He was then arrested and brought to the Marigot Police Station.
    As for he being maltreated, in my heart, I feel he lied so as to make his case even better for him.
    The D/can government did right not to respond to give him any compensation. This should be fought in the Courts.
    D/can Legal Defense, here is my defense which I could elaborate on. I doubt that if this case is properly presented, D/ca will win its case and Tommy Lee will not get a cent to make him rich which is what he is seeking. On the contrary, he will have to pay the D/can government.
    The D/can government did not have an arrangement and contract with Tommy Lee. It was the organizers who until now are keeping silent. Ask yourselves, did you not communicate with Tommy Lee and informed him that he was not welcomed in D/ca? Yet, you encouraged him to fly to Dominica?
    Brazen, proud and presumptuous as he is, he flew to D/ca. At the airport or on its grounds, Tommy Lee defied the Immigration authorities. He deserved to be arrested.
    You, the organizers, should pay Tommy Lee. You had a contract with him; not the D/can government. You do not want to honor the contract and pay him. You owe Tommy Lee for indirectly breach of contract; not the government. You want the D/can government to pay him? This is not fair.
    Pertaining to the matter of his contract fee, did you organizers pay Tommy Lee for breach of contract? If you did, the D/ca government owes this man nothing. This is the rest of my defense. :)

    • The Facts
      August 20, 2014

      “I envision that,” – not doubt.

  2. Possie Proper
    August 19, 2014

    Warn Dem Unno Dem dont want me dem dont want me survive

  3. Possie Proper
    August 19, 2014

    GAAAAAAZZZZZZZAAAAAAHHHHH :twisted:

  4. Anonymous
    August 19, 2014

    Dominica have so much stupid, senseless people its not funny, the whole of Dominica need to go see the world…

    • The Facts
      August 20, 2014

      I suppose you do not rank among the senseless Dominicans? How can you call all D/cans senseless and you and you alone are not senseless? Does that make sense? You must be one smart person; the one and only one in D/ca or wherever you reside.
      You should be aware that there are many D/cans who have traveled overseas. As you, they also have TV and the Internet. They do not have to travel abroad to be sensible. God endowed them with common sense and some have cultivated their sense by educating themselves and reading on relevant matters. They are smarter than you. The others who may not be smart are in the minority.
      Note how you are so wrong and senseless.

  5. idk anymore
    August 19, 2014

    Dominica’s laissez fait attitude on the matter like it is not a serious case or the artist being a push over will be to our detriment. We were wrong, pay the man and let it be over with.

  6. observer
    August 19, 2014

    Guys we are smarter than this okk, if u wanted to tell dude he cannot perform don’t make him perform there is no need to imprison the artist if a neighboring island who is part of our treaty!!! #Dominica rise up and wise up we must understand this world today is different and we must be mindful of the things we do and say, and trust me the embrassment and pain he gonna ask for $100k.. but a better standard operating procedure needs to be in place for situations like this, hence airport renovation need a facility to cater to persons not allowed in country also need events committee/board or dfc needs to be notified of events involving foreign acts to ensure we prevent such humiliation in the future….. there are other options out there let’s use this expensive mistake and learn from it.

  7. John Paull
    August 19, 2014

    This whole CSME thing ain’t gonna work! Only God can be simultaneously one and still different! Remember the West INDIES federation? Jamaica pulled out because She was the mother pig who thought thevpiglets would suck all her milk,now milk cheaper for the piglets than for the mother.
    We really want one country and still wants to be several separate countries at the same time? It will not work!

  8. Mane
    August 19, 2014

    You cannot blame the man he was invited to Dominica . It’s the organizers who invited him, and the Government knew he was coming, so as a fellow Dominica he do have a right to seek compensation. They should not have done what they did to him after he landed. The matter was not about public safety issues.
    If the Government had a problem with him performing they should have taken the organizers to court before this man came to Dominica.
    My advice to Skerrit is to give this man some money and let him sign a Gag order , and avoid the embarrassment.

  9. LogiTech
    August 19, 2014

    “Wants to join the Jamaican Govt to the suit” well isnt this the clown show now……DNO stop giving credibility to this Rubbish

  10. August 18, 2014

    I am not saying that the Govt. is right or wrong or that tommy lee sparta is right or wrong but what I do hope that it was not prejudice and bigotry that instigated this whole affair.

  11. Rabbit
    August 18, 2014

    All you damn lie is jus because that man religious views are in variance with what you so called christians believe. The only reason why Dominicans believe in christianity is because we were colonized by Europe. If Tommy Lee sang about god or jah you all would have no problem inspite if some of his lyrics said murder people. Some of the most perverse lyrics i have heard comes fem the mighty sparrow yet still no one has a problem with that.

  12. KoKo Naughts
    August 18, 2014

    Ok, Thomas Lee, sorry Tommy Lee, will cause Dominica and Jamaica to go to war. LoL. Allu sure $500 EC cannot take care of Thomas Lee? That’s almost $20,000 JA eh. Stupes tan.

    • Anonymous
      August 19, 2014

      LOL LOL he’ll be a rich man i ja wit dat…but on a real tommy im sry for all the religious fanatics in d.a and frankly some of ur music not good but on a real u not getn d.a money i.e our money …….now more ppl know u dn before u get more fame on d.a head id say thats payment enough ….i dont blame u u milkn it for all its worth …but im sorry we need our money more dn u wi…take care all da best in ur future endeavours do u man we dont have to all agree about what u do …do u leave our money alone

  13. peter karam
    August 18, 2014

    immigration and customs police need to go to Portsmouth Police station for training. we killing de wrong persons

    • idk anymore
      August 19, 2014

      Peter you sound rather ignorant for a grown man.

  14. amen
    August 18, 2014

    i was expecting the church people to be outside of police station as we looking for justic

    • idk anymore
      August 19, 2014

      That is the same thing i was saying. See how they are so hypocritical. The paro on the street has more common decency to keep the candles burning infront the station than the so called christians who protest over rubbish. People have rights. christians have the right to not attend the concert. that is their choice, i have the right to attend. Non christians do not protest their crusades that disturb neighborhoods. we let them do their thing out of respect. Because you believe in your religion, do not force your beliefs on others.

  15. Rasta
    August 18, 2014

    Who cares about tommy lee? Let him go to hell and meet his daddy;

  16. amen
    August 18, 2014

    we just need to pray for dominica every day

  17. Anonymous
    August 18, 2014

    Tommy we already told you to take it to court. We want to tell our side of the story. If the judge rules in your favour we will have no choice but to abide after we have exhausted all legal means.

    • brois
      August 18, 2014

      you are soo full of it!!!

  18. we
    August 18, 2014

    So if i understand Dominica thinking-
    1)So if a man smiles on release from illegal detention-
    “it means he liked it”
    2)If Jamaica put him in jail-WE can put him jail
    Dominica did it beacuse- oh yeah “devil music”. Could have been worse could be playing “black music”
    3)sovereign country -Were you sovereign when you sold your grandchildren to Japan for a fish procession yard.
    4)Crab in a barrel indeed. Ur teachers, lawyers, Drs all train in Jamaica. Keep hate alive

  19. malick
    August 18, 2014

    We are leaving in a crazy world and as a result every government has the right to determine if a performance, by whomever artist, will be a public nuisance or if it will create some issue as it relates to national or public safety. For this reason, based on the advice from his security consultants, the prime minister is well within his authority to revoke whatever permits that have been granted in the interest of public safety.

    Whether we are part of Caricom or a member of the Caribbean Single Market makes no difference. As long as there is the possibility that the safety of citizens may be compromise, I am in full support of the decision to cancel / revoke is permit. This is being done all over the world. The interest of the citizens of Dominica should be the first priority to the Prime Minister.

    Here is another story where a man was denied entry to a country because of how he looked. DNO ..Please leave this link if possible:

    http://news.yahoo.com/dubai-bars-worlds-most-pierced-man-report-095858620.html

    • Anonymous
      August 18, 2014

      Is Dubai a member of CARICOM or the EU?

    • idk anymore
      August 19, 2014

      The government never consulted with anyone except religious leaders. Their decision was biased and one sided. When Mavado was here they tried the same thing but consulted with the promoters and artist management informing of conditions. In this case, none of that was ever done.

  20. lee lawrence
    August 18, 2014

    I can’t believe these people pay the man , you guys believe you all can do whatever you’ll want with people

  21. Anonymous
    August 18, 2014

    Looking th is photo it certainly does not look like he has had a rough time .. His entery was denied fine , big deal, get over it and preform somewhere else

    • TOM
      August 18, 2014

      Some of our minds are so shallow, perhaps it would be better if we did not comment! Justice for one and all!

      • Anonymous
        August 18, 2014

        So why are you commenting . ?

  22. Anonymous
    August 18, 2014

    Stupesssssssssssssssssssss

  23. Dominican
    August 18, 2014

    His own Jamaican fellow countrymen put his tail in prison, and now they looking for money. the joke is how many dominican artist that are invited to Jamaica i will answer noneeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
    We have a right to cancel let him bring his demons back to JA

    • idk anymore
      August 19, 2014

      Danny Lugay was in jail too. Does that mean Danny is a criminal and terrorist? You people need to get over this jail thing like because you go there you are automatically the worst kind of person. The man has a case pending in Jamaica, so what? his government allows his to come and go as an artist in the meantime. why would you want to judge the man on those grounds, especially if you have never even met him or spoken to the man. Judge not lest you be judged.

    • serious
      August 19, 2014

      thats not true bout dominica artiste not performing in jamaica. colton t performed nd went to jamaica on some occasions. what about that rasta man who is from dominica and lives in jamaica as an artiste. he performed creole in the park twice . we all need to be equal here. tommylee was to perform in a building not outside in the open. who wanted to go let them go and who didnt then fine but it wasnt free so the people had a choice. our music is sometimes rude and certainly not for public either. we too hypocrite here in dominica, bullet through ur head, sang by tripple kay. is that even positive. NO!! so we should all be honest and fair

    • The Facts
      August 22, 2014

      I agree. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

  24. Lougaoo Mem
    August 18, 2014

    Interesting indeed, I’m no subject matter expert in the laws that govern the whole saga, however, knowing that just about everything this government does, is not in line with the laws to include the constitution.

    And by the Jamaican government checking into the matter with great interests on the side of Tommy Lee Sparta, says a great deal on where it’s about to end.

  25. sac souwi
    August 18, 2014

    Purge the land from dem. Satanist artiste. No. Alkaline me say.

  26. Ras B
    August 18, 2014

    Does a sovereign country still has the right to determine who enters its borders???? Just asking!!!!

    • ?????????
      August 18, 2014

      yes but it has to be in keeping with the treaties that the contries have tied themselves into

      • Emile Zapatos
        August 19, 2014

        The answer is yes. Even if you have diplomatic status, you can be declared ‘persona non grata’

    • TOM
      August 18, 2014

      RASS B we all have rights in all the islands. We are all just like citizens. Thats what CCM , CCJ etc bring to the islands. Remember that Jamaican girl who was manhandled in Barbados by the Customs and Immigration Official? She won her case and they had to pay her. Jamaicans usually stand up for their own. I think eventually the Jamaican Government will get involved.

  27. LABAR DABAR
    August 18, 2014

    skerrit more powerfull than you samuels., he own the CCJ

    • Anonymous
      August 18, 2014

      crap!

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