Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has been ordered to pay OWTU President General Ancel Roget over $500,000.
In a statement, the OWTU says on December 17th 2024, High Court Judge Nadia Kangaloo found Dr. Moonilal guilty of defamation, for claims in 2016 that Mr Roget had accepted $15 million from the Government to remain silent on labour issues.
The comment reportedly followed the budget presentation in 2015, where a $15 million allocation was announced for the trade union movement (JTUM and NATUC).
Mr Roget says he wrote to the Finance Minister refusing the money, a fact that he says was made public and stated in the Parliament.
The union’s statement says Dr Moonilal has been ordered to pay $500,000 and costs.
It reveals that legal action was also previously being explored against another individual: “Comrade Roget had also served a pre-action protocol letter against Morgan Job for making this defamatory and erroneous statement about receiving $15M from the government. Mr. Job subsequently died, and therefore, the matter could not be pursued.”
It adds that this judgment is crucial as it clears Mr Roget’s name.
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