Controversial second Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo has found himself yet again in deep trouble, this time it involves statements made by him at a press conference held on August 19, 2022, in which he allegedly defamed APNU+AFC GECOM Commissioner, Mr. Vincent Alexander. According to the pre-action letter seen by Credible Sources, Alexander stated that at the said press conference Jagdeo defamed his character by claiming that he had a personal pecuniary interest in the administration of the affairs of the organization International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly Guyana, IDPADA-G Inc.
Alexander contends that Jagdeo defamed his character by claiming that he owns of IDPADA-G Inc. when he is not. Alexander also accuses Jagdeo of defaming his character by referring to his participation in the general stewardship of IDPADA-G Inc. as akin to parasitism by claiming that he is among a group of persons who are “parasites using Afro-Guyanese just for their own personal benefit”. “You specifically referred to him as a parasite which is a most unwholesome description of a man of my client’s ilk and international prestige, ” lawyer for Mr. Alexander, Eusi Anderson wrote.
Additionally, Alexander is accusing the VP of further defaming his character by falsely and erroneously impugning his participation in the general stewardship of IDPADA-G Inc. as an effort solely for personal gain, advancement, and benefit. “You are dared to present this evidence soonest,” Anderson urges the VP.
Alexander’s lawyer said, “You maliciously defamed my Client’s character by stating that $343,000.00 was spent by IDPADA-G Inc. on grants in 2020 of the GYD$100 million given to IDPADA-G Inc. in 2020 for that purpose. The malice here is that a cursory perusal of the public financial records would demonstrate that the GYD$343,000,00 referenced was the residual balance from the 2018 special subvention for grants conferred by the Government on IDPADA-G Inc.”
“Same was brought forward to the 2020 financial statement. Your statement further conveys the impression that the totality of grants disbursed by IDPADA-G Inc. in 2020 was a paltry sum of $343,000.00 of GYDS100million. This is wholly dishonest and defamatory, it has no basis in truth. You practiced thrift with the truth on three counts in this specific regard- the year of the grant allocation, the nature and description of the grants allocation for 2020, and the actual grant sum allocated in 2020.”
Alexander is also accusing Jagdeo of defaming him by suggesting to members of the public that he, as part of a group of persons, received salaries and allowances of which the global sum in 2020 was $42million. However, Anderson forwarded that his client has not received a salary or allowance in 2020 as alleged or at all. This narrative, according to Anderson, supports Jagdeo’s contention that he was using Afro-Guyanese for his own benefit. It has no basis in fact, said Anderson.
Alexander is demanding a public apology and unconditional retraction of those comments before September 3rd, 2022. He is also demanding the payment of GY$50 million dollars, in compensation for the restoration of his name, having regard to the enormity of the damage inflicted upon it by the defamatory comments. The pre-action letter concluded by impressing upon Jagdeo to make the payment or an acceptable counter-offer on or before September 3, 2022, and failure to act upon these demands at the close of business, will be construed as disinterest and immediately trigger the institution of proceedings.
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