THE $200M lawsuit initiated by Managing Director of Ground Structures Engineering Consultants (GSEC), Charles Ceres and his wife, Ndibi Schwiers, against Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo, Kaieteur News, and the Guyana Times for libel has been adjourned until August 8, 2019, for further legal submission.

Charles Ceres and his wife Schwiers, Director of the Department of Environment at the Ministry of the Presidency, are seeking damages in excess of $200M from Jagdeo for the publishing of the unsubstantiated and defamatory statements via the People’s Progressive Party’s social media channels. Additionally, the claimants are also seeking another $200M each from the two news outlets for publishing articles based on Jagdeo’s claims that the couple obtained the said lands by immoral, improper, illegal and criminal means.

Also, the two parties are also asking the Court to consider granting an injunction against the newspapers to prevent them or their servants from publishing further defamatory statements. In addition to the millions worth in damages, the Claimants are also seeking retractions and apologies from the two news outlets.

The matter is held in chambers before Justice Fidela Corbin-Lincoln at the Demerara High Court for the civil hearing of the case. The couple is represented by attorney-at-law Darren Wade.

On Monday, August 05, 2019, Wade served his affidavit of reply minutes before the hearing commenced, which caused the matter to adjourn until August 8, 2019, for further legal submission.

On July 24, 2019, Jagdeo’s attorney, Anil Nandlall, filed an affidavit in answer on behalf of his client. “We are relying on the defence of justification, fair comment and qualified privileges,” Nandlall told the media on the sidelines as he explained that his client, as the Leader of the Opposition, General Secretary of the PPP and a Member of Parliament, has certain responsibilities to speak publically on ‘certain things.’

“The matter that he spoke of at the press conference in relation to these issues were among the things that he can speak about as part of his responsibilities and duties and the law protects public officials who decide to do those type of things,” Nandlall said.

At a June 27, 2019 press conference, Jagdeo accused Ceres of being one of several involved in a massive “land-grabbing” scheme facilitated by the government following the December 21, 2018 no-confidence motion. Ceres, along with others like Deputy Director of the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA), Aubrey Heath-Retemeyer and Head of the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GLSC), Trevor Benn, have debunked the claims of Jagdeo with documented proof.

However, in the affidavit in answer filed, Jagdeo stated that he will produce maps from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission and other public documents to support his contention that the claimants were allocated the lands as he stated during the press conference.

To establish his defence justification, Jagdeo, in his affidavit, claims that he will establish that most, if not all these lands, were allocated after the passage of the No-Confidence Motion and, therefore, their allocation is legally dubious, if not wholly unlawful.
Meanwhile, the claimant’s attorney, Wade, explained that his clients filed the proceeding since Cares’ character was damaged and his reputation was brought into disrepute by the allegation and comments that were made by Jagdeo.

Jagdeo, at his weekly press conference, had challenged Ceres to do his worst. “He could sue me because what I state is factual,” Jagdeo said. “I am awaiting the lawsuit and the police investigation…I’m daring him to do this.”

While Ceres has stated that he does indeed have 4.5 acres of land in Liliendaal, this was received since 2017 for which he paid G$4M per acre and is paying $200,000 per acre yearly for the lease. Meanwhile, he has rejected Jagdeo’s remarks once again that he owns or leases any land in Bohemia.