Last Updated on Saturday, 13 June 2026, 0:14 by Writer
High Court judge Fidela Lincoln-Corbin on Friday ruled that Mr Bharrat Jagdeo must pay well-known geotechnical engineer Charles Ceres GY$15 million for defamation plus costs of GY$2,150,000.
The court ruled that Mr Jagdeo, then as Opposition Leader and General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), defamed Mr Ceres at a press conference on June 27, 2019 concerning the acquisition of land by Mr Ceres and his now former wife.
“The claimant gave evidence of the publications which was unchallenged and has established that the 1st defendant (Mr Jagdeo) published or caused to be published the alleged defamatory statement,” the judge said.
She struck out Mr Jagdeo’s defences of justification and fair comment.
Justice Corbin-Lincoln, based on all the circumstances, including the time reasonably spent, awarded Editor-in-Chief of Guyana Times Tusika Martin and Guyana Times discretionary costs of GY$1million.
The judge said that in determining whether the publication is a fair and accurate report of the press conference, she reviewed the recording of the press conference tendered into evidence.
She said she found that while the headline of the publication does not indicate it is a report of a press conference, the body content of the publication is a fair and accurate summary of what was stated by Mr Jagdeo at his press conference “and specifically a fair and accurate summary of what was stated by the 1st defendant (Mr Jagdeo) in relation to the claimant.”
Justice Corbin-Lincoln said Mr Jagdeo led no evidence to back up his defence on justification, fair comment and qualified privilege.
She said Mr Ceres, also a groundwater hydrologist in Guyana and internationally with more than 40 years of experience, was cross examined by lawyers for Mr Jagdeo, “presumably with a view to establishing the defences.”
Mr Ceres was represented by Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade, while Mr Jagdeo’s lawyers were Messrs C.V. Satram and Ron Motilall.
Reacting to the High Court’s ruling, Mr Wade said on Facebook that Mr Ceres would be appealing the decision in relation to Guyana Times and “will also be seeking a higher award of damages against Mr. Jagdeo.”
He urged Mr Jagdeo, now Guyana’s 2nd Vice President, to pay the damages rather than appeal.
“Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo, please pay up as soon as possible. Do not let anyone convince you that there is any real prospect of success on appeal,” Mr Wade said.
