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.The latest battle in an ongoing defamation case brought by G. A. Dwyer Astaphan against current Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Honourable Gaston Browne, has been lost by Mr. Astaphan.Astaphan, a former Labour government Minister in St. Kitts and Nevis, issued a defamation lawsuit in Antigua against the sitting Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne arising from a popular broadcast of a radio programme hosted by PM Browne. The suit was filed in 2023 and claims exemplary damages as well as an injunction preventing PM Browne from repeating certain words. In his Defence, Prime Minister Browne stated that he was entitled to express his opinion on the root cause of Mr. Astaphan’s hostility and malicious attacks toward PM Browne and his family. He further stated that his statements were clearly intended to be his opinion and fair comment on a matter of public interest.Mr. Astaphan applied to the High Court to have Prime Minister Browne’s Defence struck out with costs. However it was Mr. Astaphan who has now found himself having to pay costs to Prime Minister Browne after the Court struck out his application on 21st May 2024. The Court, presided over by Master Carlos Michel of St. Lucia, found that there is “much force” in the arguments of the Defendant PM Browne, who the Court said had a sufficient basis for his fair comment pleadings. This blow to Mr. Astaphan has meant that the Defence stands and the matter will now proceed to further case management.