…cricketer demands retraction, threatens lawsuit

CRICKET great, Christopher Gayle, has demanded a retraction and apology from PPP candidate, Charles Ramson Jr, who at party meeting recently, alleged that the Jamaican star was owed some US$50,000 by the PNCR.

In the letter dated February 4, 2020, Gayle, through his Attorney, Roysdale Forde, stated that on January 30, 2020, Ramson, during a PPP/C meeting in Albertown, Georgetown, made a number of slanderous statements. Ramson, during the meeting, alleged that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) had promised the international cricketer, who hails from Jamaica, US$50,000 for his visit to Linden when it celebrated its 62nd Anniversary in October, 2019. Ramson reportedly told the PPP/C supporters that Gayle was trying to get the outstanding sum owed to him.

Gayle rejected Ramson’s statements, noting through his lawyer, that they were entirely false.
“As you are aware, my client is an internationally-recognised personality and cricketer, and has carefully protected his brand and reputation especially by refusing to engage in public relations activities at the request of political parties.

The statements made by you are not only totally false and untrue, but seems calculated to subject my client to ridicule and portray him as being paid by a political party in Guyana to engage in work on its behalf,” Forde stated in the letter.

It was noted that Gayle engages in a number of business ventures in Guyana such as the promotion of a number of entertainment activities, and the statements uttered by Ramson are “injurious” to the financial success of his business ventures. The damage, Forde, noted is not limited to Guyana but has long-term implications. “I am instructed by my client to demand that you do issue a retraction of your statements within 24 (Twenty-Four) hours of the receipt of this letter,” Forde told Ramson.