Madam Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire, S.C., today delivered judgment favourable to Member of Parliament (MP), Jermaine Figueira in a defamation suit he filed against the State-run Guyana Chronicle.
Making the disclosure today was his lawyer and fellow Opposition Parliamentarian, Roysdale Forde, S.C.
The MP had alleged that the Chronicle Newspaper published an article headed “Fraud and Criminality” on the 24th day of January 2021, which was defamatory of him.
In the said article, the Labour Minister, Joseph Hamilton allegedly made certain damning statements in reference to Figueira.
The Chronicle Newspaper had reported that the MP had received $5,800,000 under the Sustainable Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development Program to be used by himself and or by a Co-operative Society of which he was a member to conduct pig rearing activities. The article further stated the MP did not build the pens or rear pigs and had therefore misappropriated the funds.
According to Forde, the Court found that the article had a “damning headline” and that Figueira was specifically named.
“The Court expressed the view that the Defendants had recklessly acted in going to print in light of a denial by the MP on the 23rd day of January 2021. The Court stated that the words ‘fraud’ and ‘criminality’ do not conjure any
favourable image and further that the words used were understood to mean that the MP was a fraudster,” Forde noted.
He added that the Court rejected the arguments of Counsel on behalf of Chronicle Newspaper that the publication had a duty to publish statements made by a Member of Parliament about an elected official.
Further, Forde said that the Court concluded that the article was not published in good faith and that the reliance by the defendants on the defence of “Fair Comment” was misconceived.
The Chronicle Newspaper was represented by Mr. S. A. Dhurjon.
