RESPONDING to an article in the Kaieteur News ‘Dem Boys Seh’ column, which included the statement: “Edghill change he name from Cummings after he run into trouble when a man dead,” minister within the Ministry of Finance, Bishop Juan Edghill called on the publication to retract their article and refrain from broadcasting false information.“I wish to state the facts and put it to rest once and for all. As in 2011, I was the subject of libel and slanderous statements made by Tony Vieira which was broadcasted on CN Sharma’s television station, Channel 6, after which I have filed actions against them in the High Court for libel,” said Edghill.

According to the minister during a press conference on Wednesday in his office at the Ministry of Finance, he was surprised by the article in the Kaieteur News which has a publication of the same statement which included that he was the subject of a name change after being involved in the murder of a man.
“This lie must be debunked, and it must not be allowed to continue to be pedalled, as I will always defend my name and reputation,” stated Edghill.
Edghill subsequently presented his Birth Certificate to the members of the media in an effort to show the public that he was born on December 25, 1964 and was never subjected to a name change, stating that his name has always been Juan Anthony Edghill.
“If I was born as Juan Anthony Edghill, I could not have had a name change when I am known up until today as Juan Anthony Edghill. Therefore, I would really appreciate it if every Guyanese citizen could give respect to the fact that like so many others, I was born in a home where my parents were not married; so, from birth, I had to assume the name of my mother whose name is Juanita Edghill,” said the Minister.
He also alluded to the fact that he has never used any other name or been called any other name, while highlighting the fact that at no time of his life has he been associated with the death of anyone, as he has always lived his life in keeping with his faith, belief and Christian principles.
Apart from that, Edghill said that he finds the statement to be “offensive, derogatory, wicked, vindictive and it is designed to distort, defame and ridicule” him because of his political affiliation.
In closing, he reiterated his call to Kaieteur News to retract the misinformation, and noted that “like I did before I took legal action against Vieira and Sharma in 2011, I called upon them and I wrote asking them to withdraw those statements and their refusal had led to me having to file action against them in a court of law, as I’m not only calling on them to retract the story but I have also presented to you all once and for all my original birth certificate and if this is not sufficient then I don’t know what is.” (Navendra Seoraj)