Melissa “Melly Mel” Atwell appeals defamation judgement in favour of Balwant Singh Hospital, CEO

Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 September 2025, 22:33 by Writer

United States (US)-based activist Melissa “Melly Mel” Atwell has appealed a High Court decision that she must pay Balwant Singh Hospital and its Chief Executive Officer Dr Madhu Singh a total of GY$35 million for defamation, her lawyer Sanjeev Datadin said Wednesday.

Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln states in her decision that having considered all the circumstances and the relevant principles the court finds it
reasonable and proportionate to award Dr. Singh damages, including aggravated damages of $20,000,000 and the Hospital $15,000,000, including aggravated damages, for the defamatory statements published on 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 16th June 2019.

“Ms. Atwell relied on the defence of justification but led not a scintilla of evidence to establish the truth of the defamatory statements,” the judge states.

Expressing surprise that the September 5, 2025 decision was only making the rounds on Wednesday, he said the appeal had been filed more than two months ago. “The appeals have already been heard,” he told Demerara Waves Online News. “What is being reported is not recent. I do not know who decided it was worthwhile of putting it into the public domain now,” he said.

Mr Datadin could not give a timeframe within which the hearing by the Guyana Court of Appeal could be finished.

The High Court had also awarded costs to Balwant Singh and Dr Singh totalling GY$3,150,000. “The defence of justification was maintained to trial even without any credible evidence,” the judge noted.

The High Court says after the initial defamatory publication on 9th June 2019, Ms. Atwell essentially went on an unverified campaign against the Claimants by posting several other different allegations based on statements alleged to have been received from third parties. “There is no evidence that Ms. Atwell took steps to verify the truthfulness of the statements or that she requested either a comment or response from the Claimants.

She admitted under cross examination that she did not check with the Hospital to ascertain whether the persons who made statements were patients with the hospital and relied solely on the information given to her by these persons.

The Judge said that was not a case of repetition of the same defamatory statements but rather the publication of separate and distinct allegations over five days. It must be taken into consideration that each of the separate and distinct publication could give rise to a cause of action albeit that the Claimants have joined the claims.

The decision also states that neither the hospital nor Dr. Singh produced credible evidence of any pecuniary loss as a result of the publication and Dr. Singh continues to practice as a doctor at the hospital, which continues to operate. Dr. Singh has not produced evidence of psychological trauma as a result of the publications, the judgement states.

Also representing Ms Atwell were Donovan Rangiah, Anessa Chow and Mohanie Anagnaoo.

Balwant Singh and its Chief Executive Officer were represented by lawyers Robin Stoby, Stephen Fraser and Shantel Scott-Lall.