GUYANA | Rickford Burke's Lawyers demand public apology and compensation from Minister Gail Teixeria

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, November 7, 2022 - Lawyers for Guyanese political activist and Chair of the Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) out of New York, Mr. Rickford Burke, has written to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Government, Gail Teixeria, demanding a retraction of libelous statements she allegedly made in relation to Mr. Burke.

The letter to Minister Teixeria referred to a news release she allegedly issued on October 31, 2022 which was carried by several news agencies in Guyana. "My Client's difficulties arise with your statement's overwhelmingly libelous contents. Same is itemized as follows:

1.    You referred to him as complicit in the extortion of GYD$200 million from a Guyanese businessman.

2.    You claim that he is facing a sexual assault case in the USA.

“Nothing in respect of the above has an abode in truth. The contents of your missive were calculated to malign and reduce my Client in the eyes of right-thinking men and women. As a public official, it is even more worrisome that it comes under your hand.”

In light of this, Burke's lawyers are demanding a public apology and an “unconditional retraction of those comments before November 15, 2022.”

The lawyers are also demanding “the payment of GY$500million dollars, in compensation for the restoration of his name, having regard to the enormity of the damage inflicted upon it by your defamatory comments. This payment or an acceptable counter-offer ought to be presented on or before November 15th, 2022.”

“Failure to act upon these demands as of close of business on November 15th 2022 will be construed as disinterest and immediately trigger the institution of proceedings,” Burke’s lawyers declared.