‘Tell them fi sue’

Rae Town Division Councillor Rosalie Hamilton is daring Member of Parliament for Kingston Central Donovan Williams to proceed with his promised lawsuit as the now-public feud between the two Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) representatives intensifies.

The division falls within the Kingston Central constituency.

Yesterday, Hamilton, who has served the division as councillor for 19 years over separate periods, dismissed the legal threat issued by an attorney for Williams, which stemmed from a series of explosive allegations she levelled against him.

“Tell them fi sue when them ready,” Hamilton told The Gleaner when contacted, declining to comment further on the record.

She confirmed that the voice notes containing the allegations were sent by her in a JLP WhatsApp group in which Williams, a second-term MP, was also a member. However, she denied being the one who leaked them to the wider public.

Hamilton can be heard in seven voice notes, widely circulated on social media, threatening to release information she believes might be detrimental to Williams’ political career.

“Donovan Williams, me want you stop walk wid me name. You go inna the party and you been telling the party you give me money and a money me a war wid you for. Donovan Williams, me a tell you me a try fi keep your disgrace out of the public domain ‘cause Donovan, a whole heap of things me a go inna the media go talk, enuh. You hear how long me a warn you and tell you seh fi leave me alone? You naah go like it, enuh,” Hamilton is heard saying in one of the voice notes.

The contention reportedly began over an attempt to replace the long-time councillor, who first won the seat in 2003 and a second term in 2007. She lost in the 2012 parish council elections before regaining the division for the JLP in 2016 by one vote. She retained the division in the February 2024 local government elections.

Hamilton was heard in another of the voice notes indicating that she was not interested in a selection contest and further threatened to release the voice notes to the public if not left alone.

COUNCILLOR’S VOW

The councillor also vowed to ensure that Williams does not continue as the MP for the constituency following any future election.

“… Make mi tell you something. Mi a get you out ya. A nuh mi carry you in here, enuh. Mi never know when you a come in here. Remember, them never tell me when you a come in here. You come in here by night. But me owe it to the place where me born and grow to take you out, and mi a go take you back out ya. You must lose. If you stay till election, buy your ticket …” Hamilton warned.

However, in a letter dated March 24, 2026, signed by attorney-at-law Rodain Chambers of Richardson Law Chambers, Hamilton was asked to “cease and desist” and given 48 hours to apologise and to pull the voice notes from circulation.

Hamilton was accused of publishing false and malicious content via WhatsApp and TikTok.

The letter stated that the content of the voice notes and videos posted on social media were “wholly untrue” and “defamatory” and aimed at undermining the integrity and standing as a public official of the state minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

“Your actions have resulted in serious reputational damage, public embarrassment, and ongoing distress to our client,” the letter read, noting that Hamilton showed a “reckless disregard for the truth”.

The lawyer wants Hamilton to immediately remove any offending videos and voice notes from WhatsApp, TikTok, and any other platform under her control or that of her agents.

The councillor has also been asked to immediately cease and desist from making or publishing any further “defamatory” statements concerning Williams.

Further, she has been told to issue a full, unequivocal public retraction and apology in terms to be approved by the law firm. The apology should be published on TikTok and any other platform where the statements were disseminated, the lawyer has demanded.

The lawyer said Hamilton must also take immediate steps to retract any false statements made and to mitigate the damage caused by the publication of the voice notes and provide written confirmation within 48 hours of receipt of the letter, indicating that she had fully complied with the demands.

“Take notice that should you fail to comply with the demands outlined herein within the stipulated timeframe, we are instructed to pursue all available legal remedies against you without further notice. This will include the initiation of proceedings in the Supreme Court of Judicature of Jamaica for defamation, together with applications for injunctive relief and all attendant reliefs available at law,” the letter stated.

“We trust good sense will prevail; otherwise, fail to act at your own peril,” it added.

kimone.francis@gleanerjm.com