Jagdeo lawsuit cannot be served on AG Nandlall – Ramjattan

Oct 16, 2023 News

---

Kaieteur News – Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo might have been misled the nation on the service of the lawsuit brought against him by former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran.

Jagdeo told a press conference on Thursday that he has not been evading court marshals and even advised that court marshals serve the document to Attorney General Anil Nandlall on his behalf.

However, Attorney for Goolsarran, Khemraj Ramjattan explained that since Jagdeo is being sued in his personal capacity and not as VP, the document cannot be served on the attorney general- the State’s legal representative.

Ramjattan said: “Mr. Jagdeo might have been ill-advised on the matter because this case was not filed against the VP but Jagdeo himself. Therefore, the court marshals cannot serve it on the Attorney General.”

He added, “We are willing to have it served on Jagdeo’s personal lawyer but we don’t know who that is. I am willing to make that arrangement but I have not spoken Mr. Nandlall since last week.”

Ramjattan said too that since Jagdeo says he is not evading or avoiding service of the lawsuit, he can make arrangements to receive the document by saying where he is so that he can be served the document. “It is such a simple matter but it being made complicated Mr. Goolsarran went eight times to serve him but could not meet with him.”

The lawyer said given the number of unsuccessful attempts to serve Jagdeo, an application will be made to the court for substituted service.

“We will substitute service and have it published in the newspapers,” he said.

Meanwhile, when Kaieteur News reached out to AG Nandlall, he revealed that appropriate arrangements have been made for service of the documents to be effected.

Jagdeo had told reporters on Thursday that he did not know that court marshals were looking for him to serve court documents in relation to a libel suit filed by Goolsarran.

The response came days after Goolsarran told members of the media that he made eight unsuccessful attempts to serve the document on Jagdeo.

However, Jagdeo refuted the claims. He instead accused Goolsarran’s lawyer Ramjattan of lying and making false claims for publicity.

“I see Stabroek News has been carrying the stories. But he [Ramjattan] is a vile person; he is prone to lying… He told [Anil] Nandlall this morning, that he came to Freedoom House and they tried to serve me and I send down a message … I didn’t even know the marshal was here… it’s all a bunch a lies,” the VP said.

He continued: “I wouldn’t know… I read it in the Stabroek News that he said it’s eight times they tried to serve… I don’t know anything about it but I’m in the public domain, I’m here, I linger everywhere; people know my schedule; it is in the public. I was in Linden, they could have come and seen me in the public or drop it off by the Attorney General.”

Jagdeo said too that he is not afraid of being sued by the former Auditor General because he will defend the statement. “My Lawyer urged them to file this, because I can defend it. He [Goolsarran] asked for an apology… I have the letter he sent but I refused, I said no ‘you sue me’ so why would I be hiding from that? All now, if they can’t serve me; all they need to do is drop it off by the Attorney General’s Department and I’ll consider it being served. Just give it to him,” the VP added.

According to court documents seen by Kaieteur News, Goolsarran is seeking $30 million for defamatory statements made against him by the VP at a press conference held at the People’s Progressive Party Headquarters at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown on 23 March, 2023 and during a public rally held at Port Mourant, on March 26, 2023.

According to the court document, at the March 23 press conference, Jagdeo made statements which were aimed at tarnishing Goolsarran’s good name. The Vice President said that Goolsarran served as Auditor General for most of the ten-year period where no audited accounts for the country were present pre-1992.

Goolsarran believes that Jagdeo knew and intended to utter the words. As a result of the Vice President’s utterances, the former AG is seeking a permanent injunction restraining Jagdeo from repeating the defamatory statements or printing, publishing or causing to be printed the said statements or similar defamatory statements.

Goolsarran is also seeking exemplary and aggravated damages; interest on all damages awarded pursuant to Section 12 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act Cap: 6:02.

 

 

---

• Anand Goolsarran, Former Auditor General, General, Goolsarran, Khemraj Ramjattan, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo

---