Oct 2009 Financial News

Audrey Marks wins another round in $1.7 billion battle with Grace

Oct 09, 2009

CEO of bill payment company Paymaster, Audrey Marks won yet another round in her legal battle with Caribbean conglomerate GraceKennedy in a case based around intellectual property rights and copyright infringement.

Earlier this week GraceKennedy went before the highest court of appeal the UK's Privy Council in an effort to have it hear the case there which in effect would mean that it would have been delayed for perhaps another two years. The Privy Council has refused to hear the case which means that it will be heard in Jamaica's Supreme Court on the assigned date, Monday October 12, 2009.

Paymaster has instigated a $1.7-billion lawsuit against GraceKennedy for what Marks claims to be copyright infringement of her business plan and computer program by the Jamaican corporate behemoth, to facilitate the establishment of Bill Express, a subsidiary that competes directly with Paymaster.

GraceKennedy is being represented by Michael Hylton QC, instructed by the law firm of Dunn Cox whereas Paymaster is being represented by Dr Lloyd Barnett and Dennise Kitson, instructed by the law firm Grant, Stewart, Phillips and Co.

A crucial element of this case is to have Mark's witness statement be heard and Grace has continued to fight to prevent that from happening.

Marks was the first to implement the bill payment model using state-of-the-art technology back in 1997. GraceKennedy's Bill Express, was set up in 2000 to go head to head with Paymaster. This case may well set a precedent in intellectual property rights in Jamaica.


Source:
Al Edwards
Jamaica Observer
Friday, October 09, 2009

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/Business/html/20091008T190000-0500_161422_OBS_AUDREY_MARKS_WINS_ANOTHER_ROUND_IN______BILLION_BATTLE_WITH_GRACE.asp