Guyana’s Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has sued Chinese businessman Su Zhi Rong also known as Su Zhirong for over $50 million in damages in a defamation case filed in the High Court.
Su Zhirong is a businessman and a national of the People’s Republic of China and a citizen of Guyana by naturalization of Lot A, Block 2 Public Road, Land of Canaan, East Bank Demerara
Su, who operates in Guyana, was orchestrated to facilitate an ‘undercover’ conversation regarding a hotel and casino project with the vice president who specifed that he can assist with investment deals on Government’s end but made it clear that he will not get involved in any financial dealings.
During the interview, after asking innocuous questions about the policies of the Government on investment in light of the massive oil find, the reporter suddenly alleged that based on “information” she had received, a Chinese logger named “Su” claimed that the only way to do business in Guyana was to pay incentives.
These allegations were immediately rebutted.
The reporter’s line of questioning suggested that Guyana was taking financial incentives from the Chinese hence most of the contracts that are being awarded were given to Chinese contractors.
In the proceedings filed by Jadgeo, he is claiming damages in excess of $50M for slanderous and defamatory statements made, expressed and uttered by Su Zhirong in a series of recorded conversations and/or discussions and/or interviews held sometime on or about the month of January, 2022 in Guyana between the himself and Isobel Yeung and a person referred to as Mr Chan, both correspondents of VICE News, and which recorded conversations and/or discussions and/or interviews were aired, broadcasted and published by VICE News on or about the 19th June, 2022, and again on or about the 7th July, 2022, on American television channel, Showtime, social media platform, You Tube, and other media platforms under the title, “Guyana For Sale” and “Undercover in Guyana: Exposing Chinese Business in South America”.
Jagdeo is also claiming aggravated and/or exemplary damages; an injunction restraining the Su Zhirong whether by himself, his servants, or agents or otherwise, from further publishing or causing to be published the said or similar words defamatory of the Claimant; costs; interest on all sums awarded at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of Judgment until fully paid; and such further or other orders as the Court deems just and convenient.
In June Vice President Jagdeo said that he has been vindicated from the attempts by VICE Media Group to paint him and the country at large for corrupted practices, with the entity failing in its bid to reveal that he had accepted bribes from Chinese investors.
This was the sentiment expressed during a press conference where he said that even though he was unguarded in his personal space during the undercover act, the entity failed to provide any evidence of the sort.
