Myers mounts $150 M libel suit against News Room, Datadin

( Editor in Chief, News Room Fareeza Haniff, DCEO Roxanne Myers and lawyer, Sanjeev Datadin )

Deputy Chief Elections Officer (DCEO), Roxanne Myers has sued the News Room and Attorney-at-law Sanjeev Datadin over “slanderous and defamatory” statements that were made about her on March 6, 2020, at  GECOM’s Command Centre at High and Hadfield Streets, Georgetown.  Datadin and New Room will be hereinafter be referred to as “the defendants”

Myers through her Attorneys-at-law Nigel Hughes and Eusi Anderson is seeking damages in excess of $150 million in a Statement of Claim that has been filed at the High Court in Demerara. The DCEO is also asking the court to award her aggravated and exemplary damages, costs, and interest in accordance with the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.

According to Myers, on March 6, 2020, at GECOM’s Command Centre, Datadin in an interview made certain defamatory statements about her that were later published by the News Room in a video on its Facebook page. At the time of the making of the statements, Myers said that Datadin was a Candidate of the PPP/C at the 2020 Guyana General and Regional Elections.

He is now a Member of Parliament (MP). Myer’s lawyers contend that the statements made by Datadin that were later published by News Room inferred that their client acted illegally, corruptly, and ultra vires in her capacity as Deputy Chief Election Officer as it pertains to March 2, 2020 elections.

The lawyers further argue that Datadin and New Room “expressly” accused their client of acting above the law and having arrogated or attempting to arrogate unto herself jurisdiction to influence the outcome of the elections results for Region Four- Guyana’s largest voting district, and control and or otherwise direct Marshals of the Supreme Court of Judicature.

“The willful malice of this allegation is to be found in the failure of the defendants to contact [Myers] prior to publication to allow her to exonerate herself. Specifically, the [News Room] never put the allegations to [Myers] or invited her to counter the utterances of [Datadin],” they argue.

The lawyers claim that the statements about Myers infer that she is, among other things political in the discharge of her functions, dishonest, partisan, and biased. The DCEO lawyers contend that the allegations levelled against her by the defendants have “substantially hurt and diminished her image in the eyes and minds of the Guyanese public and the international community.”

According to Myers, the defendants have defamed her “without producing any evidence to corroborate their claims.” As an Attorney-at-law of substantial repute, Hughes and Anderson submit that Datadin is imputed with knowledge of the rights of persons who are victims of loose, recklessly dishonest talk outside of the protection of privilege.

Apart from damages, Myers is asking the High Court to grant a permanent injunction restraining the defendants whether by their servants and/or agents from further publishing or causing to be published by any means whatsoever the interview with Datadin.

She is also seeking an order that the defendants cause to be published in the electronic/online versions of the News Room, a retraction and apology to her for the false, malicious, and defamatory statements impugning her character and reputation.

Moreover, the DCEO wants a mandatory injunction compelling News Room to forthwith permanently remove the interview with Datadin from its Facebook page.