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https://www.caribbeannewsnow.com GEORGETOWN, Guyana – The Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID) strongly condemns a lawsuit filed by Guyana’s Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry, in the Guyana Supreme Court, against CGID President Rickford Burke. 

Henry’s lawsuit states that a March 7, 2019 post on Burke’s Facebook page, which expressed the view that she has “failed Guyana with her incompetence as minister of education,” placed her reputation in public disrepute and defamed her character.   

Henry’s lawsuit is a direct attack on CGID by a minister of the government of Guyana. 

Rickford Burke resides in the United States. CGID is a not for profit organization that is registered in the United States, where the right to free speech is guaranteed by the United States constitution, as well as enforced by the courts and other branches of the US government as a fundamental right and cardinal tenet of a democratic society.

 

It is therefore appalling for a minister of the government of Guyana to threaten the free speech right of an American institution, especially since said right was exercised within the United States. Clearly, the minister thinks she is all powerful and can intrude into the US and violate its laws.   

Moreover, “freedom of expression” is a fundamental right that is enshrined in the Guyana constitution. Consequently, Minister Henry’s lawsuit also directly violates the Guyana constitution and severely undermines democracy. 

CGID believes that in a democratic society the rights of citizens are paramount to the narrow self-interests of political actors, and must, therefore, be enforced against those who transgress fundamental rights and civil liberties.   

The lawsuit is a flagrant abuse of power as well as the court process to silence critics and suppress free speech. It violates democratic norms and therefore must be rejected and condemned by all Guyanese. 

Minister Henry’s lawsuit is drastically inconsistent with the democratic values espoused by president David Granger and the APNU+AFC coalition government, which has vehemently criticized the previous People’s Progressive Party (PPP) administration for using dictatorial tactics to repress free speech.  

CGID is undeterred and will work to defeat this frivolous and vexatious lawsuit. This institute will continue to advocate for free speech, democratic norms, good governance, human rights, equality and justice for all, with or without the threat of lawsuits. We will also bring this violation of democratic norms to the attention of CARICOM leaders and Her Excellency, Sarah Ann Lynch, United States Ambassador to Guyana.

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