Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Paul Cheong has initiated a High Court lawsuit against United States (US) sanctioned and indicted, Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed over statements published on Mohamed’s Facebook page concerning the proposed four-lane Versailles-to-Parika highway. Cheong is seeking more than $10 million in damages, alleging that the statements were defamatory.
The matter was filed in the High Court in Demerara by Attorney-at-Law Rajendra Jaigobin, who is representing Cheong. Mohamed, a US-sanctioned and criminally indicted businessman, is being sued over a video published on the “Team Mohamed’s” Facebook page on August 11, 2026. Cheong is alleging that statements made in the video were false, malicious and defamatory of him.
The Statement of Claim, filed on August 17, identified Cheong as the CEO of GuySuCo and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Guyana Oil Company (GuyOil) Limited. He is seeking damages exceeding $10 million for defamation, along with an injunction preventing the Opposition Leader from republishing the statements or similar material. Cheong is also asking the court to order Mohamed to immediately remove the alleged defamatory publication from Facebook, as well as pay costs and any other relief the court considers appropriate.
The lawsuit centres on Mohamed’s criticism of the proposed Versailles-to-Parika highway, which he described in the video as a $121 billion project. He claimed that the approximately 23-kilometre (km) highway had been divided into 17 lots, with bids totalling approximately $121 billion. Mohamed compared the proposed project with the Heroes Highway from Eccles to Great Diamond, claiming that the Versailles-Parika project was excessively expensive. Mohamed then turned his attention to several companies he said were among those bidding for portions of the project, including L’Heureuse Construction Services. He identified the company as having submitted a bid of more than $6.8 billion and linked it to Cheong, whom he identified as GuySuCo’s CEO. He further alleged that GuySuCo was struggling under Cheong’s management because his “primary focus is getting Government contracts.”
Cheong’s lawsuit strongly disputes those assertions. The Statement of Claim stated that Cheong is not the owner of L’Heureuse Construction Services or L’Heureuse Construction Services Inc. It further stated that he “has neither made a bid for Government road contracts nor has he been awarded a contract.”
The claimant contended that Mohamed’s publication portrayed him as corrupt, lacking morality and integrity and involved in a conflict of interest. It further said that the publication suggested Cheong was using his position as GuySuCo’s CEO to obtain financial benefits, putting his personal financial interests ahead of the corporation and its employees while failing to properly discharge his responsibilities.
Cheong also takes issue with Mohamed’s reference to the Schoonord Road project.
According to the claim, the publication alleged that Cheong’s company had previously been involved in the approximately $2 billion project and that the road was already falling apart. Cheong contended that the statements were false and defamatory. The claimant said the publication had a significant reach.
Cheong alleged that the publication caused serious and irreparable damage to his reputation and standing among colleagues, professionals and members of the public. The claim stated that the publication subjected him to “ridicule and odium” and lowered his standing in the estimation of ordinary and reasonable readers and listeners. It further alleged that Mohamed published the statements without conducting a full and proper investigation into their accuracy, describing the publication as a “flagrant act of irresponsible behaviour” and a “reckless and wanton disregard” for his office as Opposition Leader.
Cheong also alleged that Mohamed either knew the statements were false or acted recklessly without caring whether they were true or false.
Mohamed has 42 days after being served with the Statement of Claim to prepare, serve and file a defence. The court documents warn that if he fails to defend the proceedings, judgment may be entered against him in his absence and without further notice.
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