DISCLAIMER BY KONDWANI WILLIAMS

On Saturday 5^th March 2022, the world witnessed the libelous rampage on Facebook by certain political operatives whose single mission is to destroy or tarnish my reputation. Evidently, their hatred has no bounds.

The same phantoms of “masinthecemetary” who have taken cowardly refuge behind their veil of anonymity have emerged once more with warring agenda following their signature blueprint;  but just like their political party, they are unable to “come from the shadows” and have maintained permanent resident status in the valley of the political wilderness.

On that same day, operatives of “masinthecemetary” together with Bradly Tamm and Shelby Jackman wrote a most salacious and defamatory article replete with malicious falsehood and untruths.  While using this article as a missile in a continuing vicious political war directed at me personally, they also unfairly attacked our public sector and Invest Authority. I am perceived to be affiliated with the party of the ruling government but not the Invest Authority, therefor I am left rather perplexed as to their motives.

Coincidentally, I remain puzzled, but not surprised, as to why their website was so closely named to that of the Dominica Invest Authority. Wasn’t the focus supposed to have been on me? Was it geared towards creating potential confusion? Who are the specific individuals behind this delusional assault and at what point does it stop? If the issue was really about an allegation of professional misconduct, why that approach? Are there not direct flights from Florida to Dominica? Why not report the matter to the Police? Can any bystander not see the obvious mischief intended and clearly realize that they are simply not acting alone! But in all fairness to them, they stated the source of their panic and were sensible enough to insert the reference in the script which verified the link that they relied on to their detriment.

The undisputable fact of the saga are as follows:

1. William Lamp’l, Bradly Tamm, and Shelby Jackman incorporated a company named Desperado Divers Inc., on March 23, 2018. They were introduced to us by a realtor with unquestionable integrity with whom I have collaborated for many years without any complaint ever being leveled at her.

• This law office was neither retained to negotiate nor participated in any conference or negotiation with any Mr. Sebastien, the Fisheries Division, Mr. Daniel Perryman of Dive Dominica, or the Invest Authority on behalf of Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Shelby. We did not facilitate any application for residency/work, dive permits or fiscal concessions on their behalf and we wonder whether any formal applications were ever made by them and to which Government Agencies. Perhaps they can assist us to bring some clarity to their opaque agenda and confusion.

• On or about July 2018, Desperado Divers Inc entered into negotiations for the purchase and registration of a portion of land at Castle Comfort owned by an existing client of our law firm who had operated Zam Zam Café which had been  destroyed by Hurricane Maria.

• On 25 July 2018, a surveyor was contacted to re-establish the boundaries to the said property. He was duly paid and did establish and confirm the boundaries to Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Jackman.

• On 31 October 2018, William Lamp’l authorized and instructed the release of funds held in escrow to be transferred to the vendor. A copy of the relevant documents had been provided to Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Jackman prior to their instructions for release of funds; this was accepted by them.

• In or about December 2018 Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm and Jackman entered upon and took possession of the property; they commenced the clean-up and began basic repairs with the hope of operating under the name ZamZam and establishing a Dive Shop operation. Most payments were made through our offices and at times were reimbursed by Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm and Jackman several weeks later; we also provided transportation of materials to their site to assist them in saving costs. These works by Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm and Jackman were never completed to any standard worthy of mention. They never commenced business operations on the property as the renovation works were never completed. Essentially they never started any commercial activity in that phantom investment. This fact cannot be refuted.

• As at December 2018, the Memorandum of Transfer was signed before a notary public, and the property duly transferred; the Vendor was paid as had been authorized by Mr. Lamp’l.  Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Jackman then took possession of the property as the legal owners. There is no dispute that they are the legal owners of the property. They have remained in possession and control to date.

• The issuance of the Certificate of Title to Desperado Divers Inc. was delayed due to legal matters involving the Vendor and a former joint owner and questions on the manner in which the title should be effected. Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Jackman were always notified and updated on the progress, delays, and difficulties. This was no fault of the Land Titles Registrar who, together with her staff are always willing to go the extra mile to facilitate lawyers and the general public.

• In or about 2021, Mr. Tamm demanded the return of the purchase price.  At that time he was a joint owner in possession for over 2 years and had converted the property to his use without restriction or reservation. Communication broke down between us because of the unfortunate disrespect being meted out to my office, after Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm and Jackman had been convinced to do so by their ingestion of the Mass-in-the-Cemetery article which was furnished to them by their esteemed attorney for their wholesale consumption.  

1. From information now obtained it is alleged that Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Jackman had experienced difficulties with their business model which we find rather unfortunate having invested as much as US$18,000 upon purchase. We do not know whether they were underfinanced to support a viable investment in Dominica. Was any diving equipment or vessels ever imported for their intended operation? It now appears that having purchased a property  they then abandoned it  and their proposed project sometime after September 2019. I have no knowledge of exactly what had transpired, but what I do know is that it was not as a result of any fault on the part of the DOMINICA INVEST AUTHORITY OR MYSELF.

There are other facts and material particulars which cannot be disclosed due to the Attorney-client relationship.

At all times that Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Jackman were treated professionally and respectfully. However, having paid the vendors into escrow in the manner she directed in 2018 and has been in occupation of the property as legal owners, they now seek a refund of that payment. This is obviously not possible without a resale or some agreement directly between the original vendor and themselves. What they have not disclosed in their article is that despite their aborted proposed project they made numerous attempts to list the property for sale soon after acquisition. From their own words, they invested US$18,000 after acquisition. I reserve comments on their capitalization or investment.

This office holds no monies for or on behalf of that Messrs. Lamp’l, Tamm, and Jackman. Upon their authorization the vendor was paid into escrow in the manner she directed, and by their own free act, they took possession and have remained in possession of the ZamZam. In view of their article, I am tempted to inquire about the dollar value of their “investment” in Dominica.  I am also tempted to comment whether they should be held to account as to whether they were sufficiently capitalized or whether underinvested in a business model which was not sufficiently well thought out. The purchase of land in the Commonwealth of Dominica is in no way similar to the purchase of groceries in Miami, Florida. It cannot be conveniently canceled and monies refunded upon the conclusion of the transaction if one has a personal change of plan.

The allegations made against me are untrue, scandalous and seek to defame me in my professional calling for which I am entitled to respond. They have no merit and are intended solely to bring me (my office) into disrepute. In the premises therefore I shall seek legal redress and strenuously defend my character and reputation.

I pray that the loyalty of those operatives who assisted them will eventually come to their rescue.

I assume this will bring clarity to this saga which has inconvenienced myself, the State, and numerous innocent persons. One such entity is the Invest Authority which does have a viable cause of action available for passing off as it continues to market Dominica as the most conducive climate for prospective investors.

I remain eternally grateful to hundreds of persons who have flooded me with messages, calls of encouragement, words of support, and prayers as they have all recognized this is not the person who they know to be me. To those “masinthecemetary” cowards out there who shield themselves behind various platforms and believed that I would remain silent in the face of their cowardly maneuvers, rest assured that moving forward, I shall respond in ways never imagined.

As we move forward in our quest for self-determination as an independent nation, let us remind our children that there is no shame in hard work and sacrifice. Parents, be candid enough to remind and warn your children that if envy were readily available as an exportable commodity, Dominica could potentially have become the richest country in this hemisphere.

We are better than this. Let us break those chains of servitude and enslavement from our colonial past and let us begin in the celebration of the achievements of one another. There is nothing wrong with the change of mindset of our people at this time. We should never be too quick to cast judgment and resort to jubilation by baseless rumors of the downfall of another Dominican. Every story has two sides and each man deserves a chance to be heard in keeping with natural justice which dates back to the Garden of Eden.

Yours Truly

Kondwani Williams Esq.