Civil engineer Willis sues Vieira over commentary
Stabroek News
March 27, 2004
Vieira Communications Ltd and its Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Vieira, are being sued for damages in excess of $1M for libel.
The plaintiff, Walter Willis, is a civil, sanitary and hydraulic engineer and Technical Advisor to the Minister of Transport and Hydraulics within the Ministry of Public Works and Communications.
According to the statement of claim in support of the action, the libellous remarks were allegedly made during a commentary "spoken and published by the first defendant on February 11 and 12, 2004, and broadcast by the first defendant..." on VCT Channel 28, owned and operated by the first defendant.
It is further alleged that Willis has suffered considerable stress and embarrassment and that the plaintiff's character, credit and reputation has been seriously injured by the offensive statements "...and has been brought into public scandal, odium and contempt."
Additionally, the plaintiff claims, the defendants failed to respond to a letter written on February 24 demanding an apology for the offensive statements.
Willis is seeking the aforementioned sum from the defendants for allegedly "falsely and maliciously" publishing the libel during the broadcast of Evening News; an injunction restraining the defendants and their servants or agents from further printing, publishing or circulating that or similar libel; interest; costs and such further order as the court may deem just.