One of Grenada's most out-spoken religious clerics, Pastor Stanford Simon has been sued by Commissioner of Police, Fitzroy Bedeau over a sermon he delivered last year that was critical of the island's top cop.

It is the first time in the history of the Spice Isle that a Minister of Religion has had libel proceedings filed against him by a person holding public office. Pastor Simon had publicly castigated Commissioner Bedeau over statements that the Chief Cop had made in connection with alleged acts of looting by some police officers in the wake of the passage of Hurricane Ivan on September 7.

Reporters in St. George's had asked the Commissioner to respond to several reports that members of the police force were involved in the illegal acts and had abandoned their posts when the hurricane struck the island. In response, Bedeau is reported to have said that he heard of the reports himself and allegedly pointed out that the police who took part in the looting had family too like other Grenadians.

He allegedly went on to say that although he felt what the officers did was not right the fact remains that they are human beings too and he was sympathetic to them. Bedeau also called on persons with proof of looting by police officers to come forward with the evidence so that action can be taken.

The Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) have taken actions against only a few officers. The libel suit against Pastor Simon was filed on his behalf by controversial barrister-at-law, Michael Sylvester who often acts for Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell on a number of legal matters. Pastor Simon is associated with the St. George's Baptist Church in Springs, St. George's and One Call Construction, one of the major building companies on the island.

Sylvester's writ, filed in the Supreme Court Registry on January 7, claims that Pastor Simon libelled Bedeau in a statement that was broadcast on the Grenada Broadcasting Network (GBN) on October 31, 2004. "Your broadcast speech levels a number of serious defamatory charges against my client.....", Sylvester told Simon in a letter dated January 5, 2005.

"These charges are completely groundless. Nevertheless, the making of your speech and its broadcast have caused damage to Commissioner Bedeau's personal and professional reputation and considerable distress to him, his family and his subordinate officers", he said in the letter. Sylvester described Commissioner Bedeau as "a person highly regarded for his integrity, his honesty and his respect for the laws of Grenada, by his professional peers and by members of the community at large.

"Such a reputation goes to the very essence of his ability to effectively manage the Police Service and to retain the confidence and support of his officers and other ranks", the lawyer said. Sylvester asked Pastor Simon for "payment of a substantial sum in damage" to Bedeau as a means of showing to persons at large "the baselessness of the allegations" made against the Chief Cop.

The lawyer said: "If you (Pastor Simon) are prepared to promptly withdraw the allegations and apologise, my client (Commissioner Bedeau) acknowledges that this will mitigate the damages to which he is entitled. If however, you force him to go through a long and drawn out libel action in order to clear his name his only vindication will be an award of substantial damages by the Court.

"Since my client requires a statement in open court, the issue of proceedings in inevitable. Should you make satisfactory proposals... The action need proceed no further", he said. Only last week GRENADA TODAY carried a report that a senior member of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) had visited a local FM radio station to try and obtain copies of some of the sermons preached by Simon.

Two weeks ago, Pastor Simon accused Prime Minister Mitchell of engaging in "political prostitution" for trying to dump the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan which had been a fried of Grenada for 15 years in favour of Mainland China which offered a more substantial package to help rebuild the hurricane-ravaged island.
The clergyman said then that some leaders who profess to be wise end up being foolish because of their actions.