GUYANA | Supreme Court Awards Journalist Enrico Woolford G$7.7-M in Unpaid Salary and Benefits

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, September 13, 2023 -The Guyana Supreme Court has awarded former Chairman and CEO of the National Communications Network (NCN) veteran journalist and broadcaster Enrico Woolford over G$ 7.7 million dollars in unpaid salary and allowances, when his contract was terminated by the PPP administration in 2020.

Veteran Journalist and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Communications Network (NCN), Enrico Woolford, who was fired shortly after the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) came into Office, had sued the State-owned company for some $7,796,688 in unpaid benefits.

According to the court papers, Woolford was on April l, 2018 employed as Managing Executive Director of the NCN and also held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors. His employment was covered by a contract of employment for two years ending March 31, 2020. 

Woolford's “contract of employment stipulated his entitlement to certain financial benefits including monthly salary, biannual Gratuity and Vacation Allowance. There are no stipulations in the contract in relation to limitations on those benefits.

“The Board between April 1, 2020 and July 31, 2020 extended the Claimant's tenure with the Defendant on a month to month basis. The extended period of his employment was subject to the terms and conditions of his contract of employment. His services were terminated on August 12, 2020 under the hand of the newly appointed Minister of Public Affairs in the Office of the President," the court document said.

On Friday September 25, 2020, Lissette Nurse, the Defendant's Human Resources Manager communicated by e-mail with Mr. Woolford, showing the calculations from the finance section attached.

“Based on the above, your total benefit amount is $7,796,687.00 GYD. We are recommending to pay you over a six month period. We are committed to pay monthly the sum of 1,299,488.00 given our financial position.”

Following the computation of the agreed on benefits to be paid, The NCN Board sought to persuade Woolford to accept the agreed payment in installments given the government’s inability to pay the entire sum at one time.”We will be willing to commence payment on September 30, 2020 and the same thereafter,” the NCN email said.

Following this however, the Board said it had recalculated the figures and decided to offer Woolford a substantially reduced sum, following which he sued the Board of the NCN.

The Court, after examination of the evidence, found that the Board of NCN “in an attempt to sidestep its financial obligations to the Claimant [Woolford], invented a number of claims that were all rejected by the Court.”

The judge, Her Honour Ms Jo Ann Barlow, said “the Defendant [NCN], through its witnesses, presented what appears to border on the fanciful and strains the credulity of the Court in its reception and analysis of the evidence proffered."

"The Court here registers its disappointment at the fact that the witnesses for the Defendant were unable to be forthright with the Court."

She said “The Claimant has satisfied the Court on a balance of probability that he is entitled to the sums that were presented to him in the email dated September 25, 2020 and that payment was due to commence on September 30, 2020.

“The Court therefore orders that the Defendant do pay to the Claimant [Woolford], the sum of $7,796,687.00 GYD (seven million, seven hundred and ninety-six thousand, eight hundred and eighty-seven Guyana Dollars) in fulfillment of the Defendant's obligations to the Claimant as set out in Ms. Nurse' email of September 25, 2020.

“Interest to be paid on the sum at a rate of 6% per annum from January 11, 2021 to the date of Judgment and 4% per annum until fully paid.

“Taking all the factors into account it is ordered that the Defendant do pay costs to the Claimant in the amount of $2,000,000.00 (two million dollars) on or before October 24, 2023.”