Brooks files court case against Lambert for slander, breach

December 05, 2011 3:22 AM

PHILIPSBURG--Former managing director of GEBE William Brooks has filed an injunction against current Chairman of GEBE's Supervisory Board Julius Lambert.

The case was heard on Friday morning and the verdict is expected next week.

Attempts to reach the attorneys of the two parties for a briefing on the specifics of the case were unsuccessful on Friday. However, it is understood that Brooks filed the injunction after Lambert made what Brooks considered disparaging remarks to the St. Kitts Observer newspaper about Brooks' tenure at GEBE.

Brooks is the new Chief Executive Officer at the St. Kitts Electricity Company SkElec.
He reportedly is also seeking damages and has accused Lambert of breaching the non-disclosure clauses in the agreement that ended his tenure at GEBE before the scheduled expiration of his contract this month.

Lambert was quoted by the Observer in mid-October as saying: "He left for vacation some months ago and then he informed us that he did not want to return. His contract was terminated really for poor performance. There were major problems with his management of GEBE. There was no control and the company was losing a lot of money."

He also was quoted as saying: "Brooks did more travelling than working. He refused to take advice from the Supervisory Board and he just does what he wants. He did not report as he should to the Supervisory Board and shareholders, he didn't present timely financial figures and operations data. It was a laissez-faire type of management style really."

Lambert also reportedly told the Observer that the GEBE board now was trying to sort out the "shambles" since Brooks' departure, that GEBE had "lost millions and millions of dollars" under Brooks' control due to inefficiencies in electricity and water distribution, and that there had been no control of the billing system.

It is unclear who will foot the bill for the court proceedings, Lambert or GEBE, should Brooks be victorious.

02 December 2011