Dental laboratory sues Stabroek News for $10M Hot

Manager of well-known Kitsingh Dental Clinic and Lab located at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, Cobeer Persaud, has filed an injunction against one of Guyana’s independent newspaper, the Stabroek News.
The injunction stemmed from an article published in the Stabroek News, captioned “Man complains of nightmare tooth extraction”, which Persaud believes was libelous and malicious.
On March, 12, last, Stabroek News published the article which contended that city businessman, Nigel Reid, claimed that he spent more than thirty minutes on the dental chair having his gum operated upon at the said dental clinic.
The article stated that the area surrounding Reid’s tooth which bled for several hours, was what appeared to be pieces of the tooth.
However, Persaud refuted this, stating that when the man visited, the dentist advised him that the tooth was very strong and an extraction was not necessary. He added that the dentist explained to Reid that the tooth needed to be filled.
“It was he who insisted that he wanted it extracted”, Persaud had said.
The article further indicated that Persaud went on to explain that during the extraction process, a small hammer was used to knock around the affected molar tooth.
Another article was published in the said newspaper following this. It was captioned- “X-ray, photos disprove tooth extraction patient’s claim – clinic official”.
This article stated that “An x-ray and pictures taken from different angles refuted claims by the city businessman Nigel Reid that his tooth extraction resulted in extraneous damage”.
The article stated that an x-ray of the area was also done and there was nothing to suggest that Reid’s gum was torn or that any fragments of the tooth remained.
The newspaper article stated that Persaud had advised the man to visit another dentist of his choice for a second opinion and he (Reid) was refunded his $2,000 taxi fare and given free antibiotics and pain killers.
The second article did, however, contain a repetition of the first claims made by Reid. And as such, the injunction is to prohibit the Stabroek News from printing anything regarding the matter or about Dr. Persaud and his clinic, until the verdict is presented in the High Court.
Persaud will be represented by his Attorneys-at-law Mr. Euclin Gomes, Mr. Sase Gunraj and Mr. Manoj Narayan. He is demanding the relief in the sum of in excess of $10 million.