Dr Leslie Ramsammy
August 28 ,2021
Former National Communications Network (NCN) Chairman Enrico Woolford has won a judgment against former Minister of Health Dr Leslie Ramsammy, whom he had sued for libel.
Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln on Wednesday handed down judgment in default against Ramsammy, who did not file a defence.
The judge has also indicated that Woolford is expected to file all affidavits of witness statements upon which he intends to rely for assessment of damages by November 30. A date for the assessment of the damages is still to be fixed by the court.
Woolford earlier this year sued Ramsammy, the Guyana Times newspaper and the Times Media Group, seeking in excess of $135 million in total for libelous statements about him that he said were contained in a column by Ramsammy that was published by the Guyana Times newspaper on March 18, 2020, under the headline “Ramsammy’s Ruminations: Caricom, ABCE, Commonwealth, OAS – time for sanctions now, no more patience.”
The court also ordered that Woolford serve its order on Ramsammy.
In a brief press statement, Woolford’s attorney, Eusi Anderson, stated that his client had tried to bring the proceedings to Ramsammy’s attention, both through personal service and substituted service. “In both situations he incurred tremendous expense and failed to serve Dr Ramsammy,” it said, while noting Woolford’s gratitude for the ruling and his confidence in the judicial system.
Woolford, who described himself in his statement of claim as a media and communications professional for over 30 years with international, regional and local repute, had sought a total of over $85 million in damages from Ramsammy for the print and online publications containing the statements made about him as well as $50 million in damages from the newspaper and the Times Group for same.
In addition to damages, Woolford also sought a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from not only again publishing the offensive words, but any other words/statements of a similar nature which are defamatory to him.
He also sought to have the court grant a mandatory injunction compelling the defendants to forthwith permanently remove the column in question, from the online edition of Guyana Times newspapers and for them to publish a retraction and apology.
Woolford said that the statements in the column were false, malicious, defamatory, and impugn his character and reputation.