Judgment for Ferguson against Jagdeo stands

preparations for General and Regional Elections at the time.

The judge had said she had also found that Jagdeo’s defence contained no real prospect of success.

On this point she had noted that the “prospect” needed not be “whimsical,” but “real.” Referencing a range of case law authorities, the judge had said, too, that it could not merely be based on an arguable defence either, but that there must be contemporaneous material, other documents and evidence substantiating the defences raised.

The judge said that finding there existed material which could have put Jagdeo on notice that the statements he uttered against Ferguson would have in fact amounted to defamation, his defences of fair comment, justification, qualified privilege and his use of the Defamation Act were all irrelevant.

She had said that he did not seek to verify the truth of what he had said about Ferguson.

In those circumstances Justice Kurtzious affirmed her earlier ruling granting Ferguson the $20 million award, stating that she stands to be prejudiced by suffering financial loss and injury to her character.

She then imposed $75,000 costs against Jagdeo which was also to be paid to.

At the time, she had ordered the parties to return before her a month later for a full assessment of the quantum of damages.

Her ruling had, however, been stayed after Jagdeo filed his appeal before the Full Court.

In January of 2020, Ferguson filed a $60M lawsuit against Jagdeo—the then Opposition Leader and the Guyana Times newspaper, over what she said were libelous statements made by the two, calculated to damage her character and reputation.

In her suit against Jagdeo, Ferguson sought damages in excess of $50,000,000

Annette Ferguson

for libel she said he committed on two separate occasions—December 5th and 12th of 2019 for which she was asking for more than $25M in damages for each occasion.

In her separate action against the Guyana Times which is still before the courts, the former minister is seeking

Bharrat Jagdeo damages in excess of $10M against the news entity which she said had published the alleged libelous statements made against her by Jagdeo.

Ferguson had alleged that Jagdeo had made what she said were untrue statements regarding her acquisition of land.