Guyanese president sues newspaper

The Guyanese president, Bharrat Jagdeo, has sued the Kaieteur News newspaper for libel and is seeking more than US$48,000 in damages.



Jagdeo has also named the newspaper’s editor, Adam Harris, and columnist, Freddie Kissoon, as defendants in the libel suit that followed the publication of an article on June 28.



President Jagdeo claimed that the newspaper article on June 28 contained libel that has caused him and the entire Government of Guyana great public embarrassment and ridiculed them nationally and internationally.



The state-owned Chronicle newspaper says the president has also sought and obtained an injunction restraining the defendants, their servants and or agents from further publishing the said or any similar libel.



It says Jagdeo is also seeking aggravated or exemplary damages, costs, and such further or other costs as the court deems just and proper.



The matter is to be heard on August 5.