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POLITICAL Leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party Phillip Edward Alexander has been allowed to take his challenge of a judge’s order – requiring him to pay Public Utilities Minister Colm Imbert $525,000 in damages for defamation – to the Privy Council.

On April 16, Justices of Appeal Peter Rajkumar, Maria Wilson and Ronnie Boodoosingh granted Alexander conditional leave to appeal to the UK-based court.

Rajkumar said while some of the arguments raised by Alexander’s attorney Gregory Armorer did not reach the threshold of disputable issues, his complaint on the evaluation of the alleged defamatory statements by the High Court and the Court of Appeal might affect quantum (of damages) using what is known as the Chase analysis in defamation claims. This refers to three levels of defamatory meaning to determine the severity of defamation and the amount of damages awarded.