UG Vice Chancellor sues UGSSA President for $10M
LEGAL action has been brought against President of the University of Guyana Senior Staff Association (UGSSA), Dr Melissa Ifill, through a writ sponsored by Vice Chancellor (VC) of the University for damages in excess of $10M for libel published in a document titled, “Petition of No-Confidence in University of Guyana’s Vice Chancellor Professor Jacob Opadeyi”.
The petition was released by Ifill on June 23, 2015 via email.
According to the court document released yesterday, Dr Ifill who is the defendant, released the email, which she used as a medium to “falsely and maliciously” publish “defamatory words” against the VC. It was reportedly disseminated to several junior and senior staff members and students of the institution.
Dr. Melissa Ifill, UGSSA President
Defamatory remarks appearing in the contents of the email as was highlighted by the writ, includes, “…failure to honour contracts with employees including illegally withholding legitimate payment due to staff;…circumvention and breach of University financial systems, practices and procedures;…financial mismanagement and impropriety including but not limited to system override at the bursary;…repeated failure to meet legal obligations to transfer deductions from workers’ salaries to various bodies…”
The contents of the email were therefore seen as “calculated and intended to disparage the Plaintiff’s character, standing and reputation.”
“The said words have been published as news articles widely carried by the media in Guyana and on the internet, for example, INews, an internet-generated news agency, as well as Stabroek News and Kaieteur News, newspapers enjoying daily circulation in Guyana and global readership via the internet. These media houses have carried prominent articles repeating the afore-mentioned libellous publication of the Respondent,” the court document further stated.
Resulting from this also, is the fact that Opadeyi has received innumerable oral enquiries, by telephone and electronically from academic peers, colleagues, his junior and senior staff and others, in Guyana, the Region and farther afield, as was disclosed in the document. Opadeyi also revealed that the publication issued by Dr Ifill has caused him “grave public embarrassment, humiliation and ridicule,” both nationally and internationally, given his academic portfolio.
Justifying the VC’s position as it relates to the financial issues highlighted by the UGSSA President, the document detailed the VC’s responsibilities, revealing that Opadeyi “has no responsibility in relation to financial matters and no dealing in finance and payments to staff.” These arrangements, it was noted, fall strictly within the purview of the Bursar of the University of Guyana.
Additionally, the VC sought to secure an interim injunction, restraining Dr Ifill or her servants or agents from further publishing or causing to be published, sentiments which were expressed in the email.
“These defamatory publications will continue to injure my personal, professional and academic reputation, record and office irreparably, and will certainly affect my ability to earn and indeed my livelihood, in future endeavours,” Opadeyi reasoned.
He added that he is fearful that the UGSSA President will continue her malicious and unwarranted attack on him.
Furthermore, the VC gave a “solemn undertaking” to pay for any or all damages incurred as a result of the injunction being wrongfully granted. Properties, owned by Opadeyi which value in excess of several millions of dollars was hinted to, as sufficient means to satisfy the award should damages be suffered in this regard.
The interim injunction was subsequently granted by the Honourable Chief Justice (CJ) Ian Chang on Friday, June 26, 2015, restraining Dr Ifill from further publishing similar statements as were expressed in the email.
All parties have been summoned to the CJ’s Chambers on Tuesday, July 7, 2015, at 09:00hrs, for the interim injunction to be continued until the hearing and determination of this matter, costs; such further or other order as the Court may deem just.
Dr. Ifill was additionally “commanded” to, within 10 days after the serving of the Writ provided to her, inclusive of the day of such service, cause an appearance to be entered for her in an action at the suit of Opadeyi.
The attorneys representing Opadeyi are Mr Mohabir Anil Nandlall, Mr Euclin Gomes, Mr Sase Gunraj, Mr Ganesh A. Hira and Mr Manoj Narayan.
By Ravin Singh