Talk Show Host Patricia Bryan Sues Police and Government | Loop … – Loop News Cayman

According to a 134-page document filed in the Summary Court on October 25, 2023, Patricia Bryan, host of the new talk show "Legal Talk With Patricia Bryan,"is suing Laveta Dunn, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS), the Cayman Islands Government and a local recruitment company for damages. The Plaint alleges "discrimination" against Miss Bryan as a Caymanian and suggests that she suffered a loss of earnings. In addition, the Plaint alleges that certain conduct caused her "anxiety, intimidation, emotional distress."

The details of the allegation, according to the Plaint, are that Miss Bryan "was recruited on April 3, 2023, by CML Recruitment for a six (6) months-temporary-to-potential-for-permanent) contact with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Services Business Office to start on April 5, 2023."

The Plaint added:

That though Plaintiff was hired as a Paralegal, Plaintiff acted more in the capacity of Legal Adviser.

That the Manager Defendant Dunn consulted with the Plaintiff plus staff was directed to consult with the Plaintiff on interpretation and application of relevant Acts pursuant to services offered through the Department.

That Plaintiff's duties included reviewing certain Acts and recommending changes, interpreting and applying relevant Acts to services offered, revising and updating application forms for services, reviewing Police Clearances and Police Records before releasing to the public, drafting communication/correspondence, reviewing and drafting operating policies in conjunction with Defendant Dunn, and other relevant duties as assigned.

In carrying out Miss Bryan's duties, the Plaint alleges that "Defendant Lavetta Dunn, in her capacity as Manager of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Services (RCIPS) Business Office, created a toxic and oftentimes hostile work environment, engaged in offensive and abusive behavior; often failed to assert and conduct herself in a professional and respectful manner; often displayed poor leadership, engaged in periods of workplace bullying by way of and including speaking, to Plaintiff with disdain, and in condescending, belittling tones"

The Plaint also alleges that Defendant Dunn subjected her "to conversations of discrimination, malicious gossip, slander, and defamation from inception of employment and for most of duration of employment, of past management, past and present staff both within and outside presence of present staff."

These conversations allegedly extended to "discrimination" against Miss Bryan as a Caymanian.

Regarding this, the Plaint claims that Defendant Dunn "made statements such as "Well Patricia you can go tell your Caymanian people that we don't take cash in this office." This was allegedly said to Miss Bryan where "there were at least seven (7) or eight (8) other Caymanians on staff and who were present in the staff meeting."

The Plaint added:

The actions and conduct of Defendant Dunn were acts of which she acted unconscionably and carelessly, her acts caused anxiety, intimidation, emotional distress, disruptive to progress of Plaintiff's ability to professionally and to capably perform duties.

Due to this Plaintiff began to experience extreme anxiety, began to dread or be apprehensive of interacting with Defendant Dunn.

That due to the conduct of the Defendant Dunn Plaintiff consulted the advice of Senior Public Servants and RCIPS Officials, then eventually mental health services.

Regarding the RCIPS as a body, the Plaint alleges that the "RCIPS failed to immediately provide a work environment contrary to complaints from Plaintiff and failed to have Defendant Dunn refrain from and cease workplace toxicity including harassment, discrimination and bullying behavior" towards Miss Bryan.

The Plaint alleged further "That then-Chief Officer/Police Commissioner denied" her "a copy of the Report from Cayman HR, a privately recruited Human Resources company retained by RCIPS to investigate" her complaint.

Regarding this, the Plaint said Miss Bryan's request for a copy of the Report was rejected "on the grounds that the report was commissioned and paid for by the RCIPS, and that the subject of complaint had to give permission to release the report," even though Miss Bryan was the complainant.

The Plaint alleged further:

That then Chief Officer/Commissioner of Police in September during a meeting with himself and other senior officials advised Plaintiff that had she not resigned, she could be transferred to another position.

Thus, Plaintiff interpreted to mean rather than address and deal with Defendant Dunn's conduct Plaintiff would instead have to be uprooted from her position to start anew elsewhere.

This Plaintiff is aware has been done before plus cause others to request transfers or resign.

Facts are that two other staff members were transferred and resigned approximately the same time as Plaintiff.

The Plaint continued: "By way of these actions, RCIPS failed to remedy the workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination plus live up to its own policies against workplace bullying, thereby allowing a continuous cycle of toxic workplace environment."

Turning to the Government, the Plaint alleged as follows:

As an oversight did not provide direct legislations either and through the Labour Act or the Civil Service policies and procedures which address private employees hired by Employment Recruiters for positions within the Public Sector or Civil Service, and address employees subject to workplace toxicity.

That due to the lack of legislation caused there to be no Act within the jurisdiction which addresses employment issues which happens to an employee who is considered a private employee hired to a Public/Civil Service position and that because of this unconventional style of employment, the Public/Civic Service will not address a private employee, yet the present Labour Acts neither can address matters which takes place on a Public Service position, thereby leaving a gray area within the Cayman Islands Labour and associating Acts. This lack of legislation has left the Plaintiff in a state of limbo and dire straits on who and how to address employment issues of a private employee placed in a public employment and who experienced workplace toxicity, bullying, harassment and discrimination.

The Plaint concluded:

Due to the grounds set out above, in that the Cayman Islands Government including the RCIPS, breached contractual obligations and expectations by way of direct association with recruitment companies, violates the Cayman Islands Civil Service orders, and breaches the Cayman Islands Constitutional Rights of the Plaintiff.

Because of the acts or lack thereof and failures of all Defendants, the Plaintiff submit all Defendants effected a Breach of Contract, either directly or indirectly by association and relationship of all Defendants, and which caused the Plaintiff to be left with no other recourse except to resign to preserve Plaintiff's emotional and psychological state of mind, professional and personal morale, and humility.

Concerning the foregoing, the Plaint noted that Miss Bryan is seeking $20,000 in damages.

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Talk Show Host Patricia Bryan Sues Police and Government | Loop ... - Loop News Cayman