Minister Indar sues former Mayor UIbraj Narine for defamation over social media allegations

Deodat Indar, Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, has initiated legal proceedings against former Mayor of Georgetown, Pt. Ubraj Narine, in the High Court, alleging defamation arising from statements made on social media.

According to the Statement of Claim filed on Wednesday, Minister Indar is seeking damages exceeding $60 million, along with aggravated and/or exemplary damages. He also seeks an injunction to prevent further publication of the allegedly defamatory statements, the removal of existing posts from social media, and a public retraction and apology from Mr Narine.

The legal action stems from a Facebook post published on April 28 on the page “Pt. Ubraj Narine Former Mayor of the City of Georgetown”, which has a following of nearly 28,000 users.

In the post, Mr Narine criticised Minister Indar’s public silence following the tragic discovery of 11-year-old Adrianna Young’s body near a pool at the Double Day Hotel in Region Three. Mr Narine implied that Minister Indar had a personal or business connection with the hotel and had possibly interfered with media coverage surrounding the incident.

The Claimant, Minister Indar, denies all allegations, asserting that the statements are false, baseless, and damaging to his reputation. The Claim contends that the Defendant’s words suggest impropriety, a conflict of interest, and intentional misinformation – claims which the Minister emphatically refutes.

According to the Claim, the original Facebook post was widely viewed, shared 62 times, and garnered over 130 comments. A follow-up post by Mr Narine allegedly compounded the defamatory nature of the first by questioning the timing and sincerity of the Minister’s public response.

Minister Indar, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and former President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has been a Member of Parliament since August 2020. He also holds a senior position within the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP).

The Minister argues that the posts caused him considerable distress and reputational harm. His attorneys, Sase R. Gunraj and Shania Y. A. Cummings of Gunraj & Co., are representing him in the matter.

The court filing emphasises that unless restrained, Mr Narine is likely to continue publishing similar defamatory content. The Claim also includes a request for interest under the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act and any further relief the court may deem appropriate.

Mr Narine has been officially served via the Supreme Court’s Electronic Litigation Portal and has been given eight days to file a defence.

At the time of publication, Mr Narine had not publicly responded to the lawsuit.