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Minister Cathy Hughes is asking Gail Teixeira to apologise
Minister Cathy Hughes
Minister of Public Telecommunications, Cathy Hughes, is demanding $10M from Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira, for libel pertaining to statements the latter made recently on a contract issued to the minister’s media company.
Hughes’s lawyers are from the Hughes, Fields and Stoby law firm, of which her husband, Nigel Hughes, is a partner.
In a recent letter sent from the law firm to Gail Teixeira dated April 16, it was claimed that on April 9, the Chief Whip who has reportedly resigned her parliamentary position, caused to be published in the local media a number of statements relating to the minister.
The letter said that Teixeira said that the Department of Energy has issued a multi-million dollar contract to Videomega Productions and that there are incestuous relations within the Government where family members and extended family members are benefitting and profiting from taxpayer’s money in violation of the procurement laws of the country.
The Chief Whip allegedly said that there is tampering with the procurement process as well.
“Videomega was also given major contracts by APNU/AFC during the 2015 elections to produce campaign material for them and so one has to wonder whether the contract for Videomega productions will be used for campaign materials.”
Opposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira
Teixeira is also alleged to have said that a combination of family members and partisan connections are exploiting and abusing and profiteering from the revenues of the country.
“These allegations amount to a very serious libel on our client and have caused her considerable distress and embarrassment. All the allegations made against her are false and your attack on her was unjustified.”
The law firm said that Hughes wanted, as a matter of urgency, a full unequivocal public retraction and apology in terms, to be approved, and an undertaking not to repeat these allegations.
The minister is also demanding $10M as a compensation for the injury suffered as a result of the libel.
Teixeira was given until the end of the day to give a “satisfactory reply” or face the courts.
Hughes had defended the contract to Videomega, a company she owns, insisting that she had relinquished control since she became a minister in 2015.
She said she did not participate in the decision of the Department of Energy nor was she aware of the award until it became public knowledge.
There has been increased scrutiny over state contracts in recent years.
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