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Full Court allows Granger’s appeal against judge’s decision on pre-trial review in $2.6B libel case
Kaieteur News – The Full Court on Thursday allowed former President David Granger’s appeal against the decision by High Court Judge Navindra Singh to waive a pre-trial review (PTR).
Justice Damone Young
Former President David Granger
In 2021, Granger had filed a lawsuit against Public Relations Consultant, Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento and three newspapers, Kaieteur News, Stabroek News and Guyana Times claiming $2.6 billion for libel.
Last June, former President Granger had stated that he did not want Justice Singh to conduct a PTR into the matter and to also not preside over the trial and had written a letter to the judge. At the time, Justice Singh said that while in accordance with the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), he could understand why the Claimant is objecting to him conducting the PTR, no basis had been provided for why he should not conduct the trial.
Following discussions with Senior Counsel Forde, Granger and other counsel in the matter, however, the decision was taken that the PTR would be waived in accordance with the CPR, as the issues which were identified to be canvassed under the PTR are properly to be resolved at a trial. The judge pointed out that a PTR is really concerned with issues surrounding potential settlement and case management protocols, but that what had been identified as PTR issues in the claim, are really evidentiary issues which are properly to be resolved at trial.
Christopher ‘Kit’ Nascimento
Justice Gino Persaud
On Thursday, Full Court Justices Damone Young and Gino Persaud ruled that in the circumstances, and for the reasons set out, that the appeal is allowed, that the case be referred to the Hon. Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire for a judge to be assigned to conduct the PTR and for the CPR be complied with.
It was also ruled that at the conclusion of the PTR, that the matter be remitted to Justice Navindra Singh for trial. No cost was awarded and the justices also discharged a previous ruling by the court in the matter.
Granger’s $2.6 billion lawsuit is aimed at Stabroek News, Kaieteur News and the Guyana Times, which he says have all besmirched his character through letters which they published by Kit Nascimento.
In his action, Granger said that Nascimento accused him of attempting to defy the will of the people in the March 2nd, 2020 Elections.
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