Injunction granted restraining Adam Harris and Kaieteur News from repeating libel
THE injunctive order by the Chief Justice Ian Chang, S.C.,  against Adam Harris and Kaieteur News followed the hearing yesterday of an ex parte application by Education Minister  Shaik Baksh claiming damages in excess of $10M  for libel contained in an article captioned: “Minister Baksh lied: Education Ministry approved $223M Computer contract”, written and published by Harris and Kaieteur.
After hearing details of the application from the  plaintiff’s lawyer, Mr. Robert Ramcharran, the Chief Justice granted an injunction restraining the defendants and each of them by themselves, their servants and/or agents or otherwise whomsoever, or howsoever, from further publishing  the words “Minister Baksh lied: Education Ministry approved $223M Computer Contract”, or any similar libel about and concerning  the plaintiff or publishing words to the like effect or publishing or permitting to be published or further publishing any letter or articles to the effect that “Minister Baksh lied: Education Ministry approved $223M Computer Contract.”
In his application, the minister said that he was and had been since September 2008, the Senior Minister of Education with responsibility for the Ministry of Education in the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
In his ex parte application, by way of affidavit for interim injunction, the minister said that he had filed in the High Court the action against the defendants claiming the respective orders.
He is also claiming aggravated or exemplary damages, costs and such further or other orders as the court deems just  and proper.
According to him, the first named Respondent/Defendant, Adam Harris, is the editor of the Kaieteur News newspaper.
The second named Responent/Defendant is a limited liability company which prints and publishes the Kaieteur News newspaper and has wide circulation coverage throughout Guyana, and electronically on the internet.
The ex parte summons is returnable for August 8, 2011, before Chief Justice Ian Chang, in Chambers.