MINISTER of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat, has issued a formal demand for a public apology and substantial compensation from veteran journalist Enrico Woolford over a ‘defamatory’ post he (Woolford) made on Facebook.
The post alleged that Minister Bharrat was “met, escorted off, and questioned by Federal Agents” at the John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York, United States of America (USA) on the night of July 11, 2024.”

Bharrat’s attorney, Sanjeev Datadin, described the post as entirely false and malicious. The formal demand letter, sent by Minister Bharrat’s legal representative, underscored the significant damage done to the minister’s reputation.
The letter said that Woolford, who manages a Facebook page with 21,000 followers, published the post on July 12, 2024, accompanied by a picture of the minister.

The letter stated, “I am retained to act by Mr. Vickram Bharrat, the Minister of Natural Resources in the Republic of Guyana and a Member of Parliament in the Republic of Guyana with his official office situated at 96 Duke Street, Georgetown, Guyana, in relation to a publication you made via electronic means on the Facebook social media platform.”
According to the attorney, the post is “utterly false” and “without merit.”

The letter elaborated that the publication was intended to deliberately damage Minister Bharrat’s reputation and character. Consequently, Minister Bharrat’s lawyer demanded that Woolford issue a clear, unequivocal, and unconditional apology and retraction.
The letter also calls for substantial compensation for the harm caused by the false allegations, and reasonable legal costs and damages.

The attorney further warned that if Woolford fails to comply with these demands, legal proceedings will be initiated against him. The letter also highlighted the potential for criminal charges, indicating that the matter is being pursued with the relevant authorities.
The legal correspondence concluded by advising Woolford to seek legal counsel and emphasised that compliance with the demands does not preclude potential criminal prosecution.
Eyes are now on Woolford’s next move.