Thursday morning and is fully cooperating with the authorities. According to reports she is allegedly being questioned in relation to her activities on social media and complaints against her made by the Government of Guyana.

At his weekly press conference last Thursday, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo was asked to comment on the said arrest and if the government is concerned. Downplaying Atwell’s significance, he said that they are not concerned about that. “In terms of Melissa Atwell so we’re not, we’re not concerned about that in terms of Melissa Atwell, I don’t know if any government agency has been notified. It wouldn’t come to me, if that has happened, it will go to the law enforcement agencies,” he said. He admitted that while he saw the story, he does not know if it is true, as there have been many rumours in this regard and his political party has been repeatedly blamed for it.

Atwell has been a thorn in the flesh of the government and has been subjected to several lawsuits by government ministers and other officials. On November 23, 2024 this publication reported that Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, filed a $100 million libel lawsuit against Atwell, accusing her of publishing defamatory statements on her Facebook page on November 21, 2024. In a statement, Nandlall said: “I am hereby providing Melissa Atwell with a glorious opportunity to appear before and establish to the satisfaction of an independent and impartial tribunal, the veracity of the many false and fabricated allegations she has made against me. After all, it is the least I can do and Atwell deserves no less.”

The lawsuit claims that Atwell’s posts contained false, malicious, and defamatory allegations that have irreparably damaged Nandlall’s reputation and standing as a senior attorney and government minister. According to the Attorney General, the accusations portray him as a thief, a murderer, and someone unfit to hold public office or practice law. The legal action seeks: damages exceeding $100 million for libel, an injunction to prevent Atwell from publishing similar material and an order for the removal of all defamatory posts from her Facebook page. (Kaieteur News)