Mayor sues Guyana Chronicle for in excess of $100 million

May 31, 2014 News

City Mayor Hamilton Green yesterday announced that he has taken legal action against the State owned media publication, Guyana Chronicle, suing the company for in excess of $100 million dollars, for what he says is a libelous article written in reference to him.

Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Greene

“I’m a very fair man, those who know me will tell you …but due to a very nasty piece of writing; an article which was published in the Chronicle newspapers about me, I was advised by my Attorney Mr. Rex Mc Kay to take legal action,” Green told the media yesterday.
According to a release from the Office of the Mayor and City Council, Green has taken action against the Guyana Chronicle for an article written about him in which the editors of that newspaper “sought to use to enhance the imposition of Ms. Carol Ryan Sooba.”
“The Chronicle has been breaching basic protocols of good journalism, particularly in their reporting on issues emanating from the City Council. While we encourage freedom of the press we also wish not to decouple that freedom from responsibility.”
In an editorial which was published by the Guyana Chronicle on May 18, 2014 Mayor Green was accused of amongst other things, persecuting females in leadership positions within the Council.
“City Mayor Hamilton Green’s proclivity for making war on females who assume leadership positions in the city’s hierarchal construct is well recorded, and three female Town Clerks prior to the appointment of Ms. Carol Sooba, as well as his new ally, Patricia Chase-Green, have been relentlessly persecuted and pilloried by Green…Thieves do not like fellow thieves who trespass on their turf. During the period 2004/2005, Green had relentlessly campaigned to have city Public Relations Officer Royston King relieved of his position on the basis of incompetence and mismanagement, and prosecuted for fraud and corruption,” the article stated.
However, during a press conference yesterday, Deputy Mayor Patricia Chase Greene debunked the accusations leveled against Mayor Green.
“It is not true, it is the Mayor and councillors of the city of Georgetown who nominated Ms Beulah Williams for post of Town Clerk, her termination was done through the Local Government Ministry after a commission of inquiry, and the same done to Yonette Pluck, who was also elected by the Mayor and councillors”
“I stand for principle… It is the Mayor who has been pushing women in the Council. It is the Mayor who agreed that women should be pushing themselves for higher positions in the Council and the Mayor is the one who tolerated the person who currently occupies the post of Town Clerk, for her to be given time off for eight years to pursue her studies.” Chase Greene added.