Former head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Dr. Vincent Adams has retained the services of a lawyer and is seeking damages and an apology from Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Gail Teixeira for “false and defamatory remarks” made at a public hearing at the 140th session of the UN Human Rights Committee (CCPR).
According to a letter sent on March 22 by Adams’ counsel, attorney-at-law Khemraj Ramjattan to Teixeira, a copy of which was seen by Stabroek News, the Minister was informed that he had been retained by Adams e US to serve a “Notice of intention of intention of legal action for defamation.”
The letter stated, “Dr. Adams has instructed me that at a public hearing of the UNHRC 140h session on 19th and 20th March, 2024, you made statements concerning him that were false and defamatory including that he ‘oversaw the 2016 PSA which was widely criticized’, and that he was involved in the hiding of the ‘Signature Bonus’ until the media disclosed the hidden account.
The letter went on to state that Teixeira compounded the gravity of the defamation when confronted by the falsehood of the statement by claiming falsely that “He (Dr. Adams) did not appear to have a problem when he was there from 2019 onwards to implement the PSA which we all know was flawed and which we cannot change at this point because it is contract law and so that was my reference made.”
The attorney pointed out that such statements have caused his client “embarrassment, pain, suffering, humiliation, contempt, and ridicule, and has tarnished his reputation as a former senior official in the US as well as his standing and professionalism in Guyana.
As such, the letter demanded that Teixeira make an open and public apology in a medium approved by or on behalf of his client. It also instructed that the statements be withdrawn and monetary compensation for damages be offered with seven days of receipt of the letter. These, the missive assured, would mitigate the harm caused by her actions.
“I assure you that it is our client’s wish to resolve this matter by agreement without recourse to litigation. However if we do not receive a satisfactory response by the aforementioned dateline, our client reserves the right to initiate legal proceedings without further notice to you,” the lawyer’s letter added.
Teixeira, had told the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, 18th March that Dr Adams was at the EPA from 2016 and oversaw the controversial PSA that was signed. However, the Committee on Tuesday told her that they had information that he had taken up his mandate some two years after.
Teixeria was asked by France’s representative, Helene Tigroudja, to explain her statements on the former EPA Director and she responded that her government believed that Adams did not appear to have a problem with the PSA.
“The issue regarding the former Director, the former Director did not appear to have a problem when he was there from 2019 onwards, to implement the PSA of 2016 which we all know was flawed and which we cannot change at this point , because it was contract law and so that the reference made,” she stated.
Following the Minister’s appearance on Monday before the Committee, Adams objected, stating that the Parliamentary Affairs Minister lied to the UN Human Rights Committee about his role.
In a letter addressed to the Human Rights Committee, Adams, who was fired by the PPP/C government, stated that while listening to Monday’s responses on questions with respect to Guyana’s EPA, “I was flabbergasted by what appeared to be her carefully prepared answer littered with gross untruthfulness.”
He charged that it was a complete fabrication and disrespectfaulness by the Minister towards the Committee, when she barefacedly proclaimed that he “oversaw the 2016 Exxon/Government of Guyana Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) which was widely criticized”; and that he was responsible for the hiding of some sort of US$18 million signing bonus.
Adams pointed out that the PSA was signed in June 2016, while he was still employed as a Senior Executive (highest levels of the USA Government) with the highest national security clearance in the Department of Energy.
“As such, it would have been a very serious violation of the US laws, national security, and my oath of office to be working for another Government. Not only is this Minister’s accusation false and disrespectful to the Committee, but it also puts me at risk of being branded as conducting illegal and unpatriotic acts against the USA,” he asserted.
He informed that he had retired from the US Government on December 31, 2016, and did not take up employment as Head of the EPA until October 1, 2018, a full 2 years and 3 months after the PSA was signed.
