By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Free National Movement vice-chairman Richard Johnson has discontinued his legal action against the FNM, which he said was expensive for him to pursue. 

He had sued the party’s leadership after its council barred him from attending meetings.

He said on Friday that one of the main reasons he is discontinuing his action is that he is no longer a member of the party and has nothing to gain from pursuing the matter further.

He told The Tribune on Friday: “It was fruitless, in my view. It was very taxing on me, very stressful on me and I just came to the conclusion that, you know, kind of bring that to an end.”

In 2022, Mr Johnson sought some $500,000 in compensation for general or exemplary damages concerning the suspension, which stems from allegations that he “acted contrary to the interests of the party, its platform, policies”, etc.

 Supreme Court Justice Deborah Fraser instituted an injunction last year preventing the party’s leaders from barring him from council meetings until she has addressed the substantive matter.

 He admitted on Friday that the legal matter was financially a very “expensive exercise”. 

 “I could have a conversation with Michael Pintard because I think we could have that dialogue,” he said. “Whenever he sees me in public he speaks to me or hails me or I hail him, as far as we go, but the other character, as long as I have breath in my body, as long as he lives, he has nothing to say to me.”

 He said he would never support the FNM under their leadership.

“I won’t support no candidate because a vote for that candidate will be a vote for them,” he said. “I won’t support none of their policies and initiatives. I will not support their agenda. I don’t believe in their views on the way the party should run.”

 “I’m gonna actually take a vacation. You know, come back, reflect, and then make a decision from there.”