PHILLIP Edward Alexander, political leader of the Progressive Empowerment Party (PEP), will be petitioning the Privy Council in London as he challenges two previous decisions of the local courts, which directed that he pay Public Utilities Minister Colm Imbert more than $.5 million for defamation of character.

Alexander, who will be contesting the constituency Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West against Prime Minister Stuart Young in the April 28 general election, was yesterday granted permission to do so by the Appeal Court.

He is seeking to have the apex court set aside a ruling of the Court of Appeal delivered on February 12. In that ruling, Justices Mark Mohammed, Ronnie Boodoosingh and Geoffrey Henderson upheld the decision of High Court Justice Jacqueline Wilson who found in October 2023 that Alexander was liable for defaming Imbert. She had directed that he pay to the minister $525,000 in addition to his legal costs.