Foreign Secretary Carl Greenidge is threatening a US$1 million lawsuit against former presidential advisor Jan Mangal, unless he retracts statements and issues an apology for what he says are statements that impugn his integrity.
Greenidge’s legal team, led by attorney Devindra Kissoon, says legal action will be taken unless Mangal retracts the statements and issues the apology.
In a letter to Mangal, which was copied to Stabroek News, Kissoon said that Mangal made several false and defamatory statements, which he contends constitute actionable libel, on social media and in various local newspapers.
According to Kissoon, the articles are based on the false premise that Greenidge was part of a core trio of senior government representatives who were collectively responsible for the government’s decision not to release the Exxon contract, an allegation which counsel said “is not only untrue, but fundamentally offensive and defamatory.”
The lawyer said that Mangal’s statements have impacted his client personally and professionally by damaging his credibility, causing much distress and damage.
He said in the letter that even more egregious is the fact that Mangal did not make any attempt whatsoever to contact Greenidge before publication, despite, according to him, “there being ample evidence to refute the contents” of his statements.
Kissoon said that his client wants an immediate retraction of the articles and for an apology to be issued, failing which he will have no choice but to commence suit for what he terms the significant injury that Greenidge has and continues to suffer.
On this point the Foreign Secretary is calling for no less than US$1,000,000 in compensatory damages should the matter have to engage the attention of the courts.
Kissoon noted that his client is the former Second Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guyana, and Guyana’s Foreign Secretary and has enjoyed a long and distinguished career as an economist as well as serving Guyana as a public servant in various capacities for the last four decades.
The letter went on to state that Greenidge was also Finance Minister from 1983 to 1992, and in Guyana’s 10th Parliament he was the opposition’s spokesman on finance and international economic cooperation.
He has also acted as an international public servant, formerly serving in several top-level positions, including Secretary General of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States.
According to Kissoon’s letter, throughout his career Greenidge has never been accused of a crime, of being corrupt, of benefitting personally directly or indirectly by virtue of being in a government appointed post, or of participating in or being complicit with any illegal or unsavoury activity.
He further said that should Greenidge retire from Guyana’s public service, he intends to continue to serve Guyana locally and internationally in various international fora, relying on his qualifications and reputation to earn a living.
Kissoon said that by virtue of his Cabinet position, while Greenidge has been privy to privileged high level discussions concerning Guyana’s oil sector, at no time has he had the responsibility directly or indirectly for the government’s decisions concerning its business relations with external companies, such as ExxonMobil.
While being outspoken about non-disclosure of Exxon’s signing bonus so as to give Guyana a legal advantage at the International Court of Justice, and an economic advantage generally, Kissoon stated that at no time has Greenidge been responsible for government’s decision not to release the Exxon contract.
Despite this, however, Kissoon said that Mangal has made various false public statements to the contrary, which have and continue to have irreparable damage to his client.
Counsel said that the statements are untrue and constitute an entire fabrication and for which his client is also demanding from Mangal that he immediately cease and desist from further defaming him.
Failing this, he said that immediate legal action will be taken in a bid to restrain Mangal from any further defamatory publication.
