CASTRIES, St. Lucia, June 20 2016 – Prime Minister Allen Chastanet says his new administration is reviewing the controversial appointment of a Saudi Arabian billionaire, Dr. Walid Juffali, as the island’s Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Chastanet, who led his United Workers Party (UWP) to victory in the June 6, general election, had been very critical of the appointment of the diplomat and had vowed to review the position if the party won the general election.
“We just swore the cabinet in, so we will be looking into exactly what the conditions are with respect to his ambassadorship,” Chastanet told the Times newspaper here.
Earlier this year, the British government took the unusual step of criticising a sitting judge on his decision to reject a claim of diplomatic immunity from Juffali while giving his former wife the right to sue him there for support.
“I am satisfied that what has transpired here is that (Dr Juffali) has sought and obtained a diplomatic appointment with the sole intention of defeating (Ms Estrada’s) claims consequent on the breakdown of their marriage,” said Justice Hayden.
DDr Juffali has not, in any real sense, taken up his appointment, nor has he discharged any responsibilities in connection with it. It is an entirely artificial construct,” he added.
Christina Estrada, the ex-wife of the Saudi billionaire is seeking a slice of the four billion pound fortune after the end of their 13-year marriage.
But Juffali has filed an appeal against the ruling and Britain’s Foreign Office said that if the decision stood, British diplomats could be hauled before the courts of any country in which they are serving and their position “scrutinised, and their status unjustifiably curtailed”.
Foreign Minister Phillip Hammond said the high court’s ruling “should not be upheld or endorsed”.
The then Kenny Anthony government said it had informed the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) that it intended to uphold the principle of diplomatic immunity by allowing Juffali to invoke his diplomatic immunity in the civil case brought by his ex-wife.
Since then, Anthony confirmed the supermodel ex-wife of the Saudi billionaire, had named him and the Attorney General in a civil lawsuit as she seeks to challenge the decision of the St. Lucia government to appoint Juffali as a diplomat.
The question may be, can Saudi Arabian billionaire, Dr. Walid Juffali, “also” afford to have Prime Minister Allen Chastanet in his pocket!?
We last kakarat, everybody changing Govt but Dominica.
Do not ask for it kakarat. In time you may just get what you want and then rant, rage and wail. It would either be the end of you or Dominica.
and we care about this story why again?
This Saudi billionaire does not want to pay alimony to his wife. She is entitled to it, even half of it. He has so much money he can afford to part with some of it and arrange, through their attorneys, to give his wife some of it. Cased closed and peace.
He better make good use of his funds in helping others. The saying, “You can’t take it with you.”
He should remember the good times they had when they were supposedly in love and not be bitter.
A billionaire as he could eradicate poverty in St. Lucia and Dominica.
Some Gov’ts in the Caribbean, especially in the OECS, St. Kitts & Nevis, Dominica, Antigua & Barbuda, have been engaged in the selling of citizens collective property, their passports, CARICOM passports, without getting the endorsement from the very owners of those passports,
In the case of Dominica Skerritt has informed that the CIP is the driving economic force for development. Not agriculture. not Tourism. Not Manufacturing. So Skerritt’s Govt. is facilitating foreign/local firms, individuals, local lawyers, businessmen to sell our passports and amass millions. Openness?
A few are wealthy like hell from that SELLING of OUR PASSPORTS. What INVESTMENTS? That strategy is all about carving out Dominica, foreigners getting REAL ESTATE,. Our Passports they SELLING. like that.
You Dominicans are 5TH.CLASS citizens in YOUR OWN LAND, and you are glad about that. Madness. Ignorance.. Bamboozled. Enslaved again and again and again. Maway in MAFIA and CORRUPTION.
Let me ask you? Did he say, it is not agriculture nor tourism nor manufacturing? You must be making up this story and exaggerating. I think some of you are overdoing it and overstating what he did not state. One day you will pay for it.
Chastanet for President.
Shaka Zulu you are so so so right.
Remember there was a game in primary school (back in the days) children played called ‘Hot Bread and butter calling for your supper’? One child would get out of the classroom, while the rest of the class would hide an object; the class would then summon the one outside to come in to find the hidden object and using the words: ‘cold’, ‘warm’, ‘hot’, and ‘fire’, as an indication of the proximity of the item……. Well, I suspect Dominica is hearing ‘hot’ ‘hot’, ‘hot’, and maybe f,,,! f…! f…! in regards to the above report.
This is leadership….These countries must do better than our Dominica which is governed by a gang of corrupt people.
You know u living in a communist country when u have the illusion of a free press, when there is no new information on Venezuelas starving, you cannot call skerrit names like the King of Thailand, and u have to go to the dailymail to read on the Baroness Scotland scandal, shame on taking your country so low Dominicans.
Title in name… I’m glad to see they are actively pursuing these scoundrels. As long as his administration isn’t on a which hunt… which would derail progress. These important diplomatic positions should not be for sale! It will cause other countries to reject our ambassadors.
Why can’t we get leaders like chastanet? We need good leadership in Dominica,
Early days yet!
He was recently elected. He really has not yet done anything for the St. Lucia people. Do not praise him yet. Some of you are deceived too quickly.
This is something any government or any new government for that matter would do. It is nothing to applaud him for.. Wait and see.
The leaders are there U Just give them a chance and U will see!
We do have them but they keep getting rejected by the electorate in favour of “Dr. Dimples”…
And what type of leader is Chastanet? What is his track record as a leader? The man is in office for just about a week and u write this rubbish.
Some people believe they will have immunity forever. Last week two former nazi who were incharge of death camps in europe were charge and sentenced. They are both in thier 90’s. All those piliticians that keep violating thier country and constitution and think they will get away with it. If the law dont get you time and history will. Ask Patrick John. He noe begging for a bed in the hospital and think because he was a former PM he entitled. SMFH. What some don’t realize is the longet they there the more longer the rap sheet gets.
Excuse my grammar. ..
What goes around comes around in time and two-fold. It catches up with them. Then there is eternity where the wicked will go to. This is why people must be ever so kind in words and deeds.
Know that some people never learn even as they age. I am referring to “some” people.
In Holy Scripture, it is stated, “Remember your end.” For all must give God an account of the allotted time He gave us and what we did with it.
Some Nazis have been caught in Toronto and have been imprisoned. They are not spared worldwide, once they are caught.