Chief Magistrate breaks silence after four years of forced leave

May 13, 2008 News

– will not take part in any misconduct hearings

Embattled Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen, who has been on leave for four years for alleged misconduct, has lashed out against the Judicial Service Commission, claiming that there is misconduct there.
Speaking at a press conference at Capitol News Studios yesterday, Holder-Allen also disclosed that she would not be taking part in any hearings against her, since the officials hearing the complaints are the ones making them.

She said that she was compelled to clear the air after President Bharrat Jagdeo, during a press conference on Saturday at the State House, said that he does not interfere with the Judicial Service Commission, which is mandated to look into alleged wrongdoing by workers in the justice system. She contended that his response to a question about her suggested that she was involved in wrongdoing.

The Chief Magistrate was sent on leave after she was accused of, among other things, interfering in the ruling of another magistrate, whose contract has not been renewed; seeking to chastise former Minister Bibi Shadick on the phone; and for allegedly insulting a Mrs Duff in her court. The Chief Magistrate has denied all these allegations.

According to Holder-Allen, she was under the impression that her forced leave was about to be resolved and was “getting somewhere”.

Justice Prem Persaud, Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Carl Singh and Mrs Chandra Jagnandan, whom she described as a typist, are the persons whom she accused of causing her to be off the bench. Mrs Jagnandan signed the letter sending Holder-Allen on leave.

The matter can never be resolved unless former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Madam Desiree Bernard, who is a sitting judge on the Caribbean Court of Justice, returns to Guyana and “explains the mess”, the official said.
Listing her troubles, the official claimed that two lawyers, whom she did not name but whom she inferred were not Guyanese, were trying to poison her with sapodillas and pastries. One of these has since died.
She said that there were death threats, with murdered whistleblower George Bacchus telling her, one day before his death, that she was among a list of persons to be killed.

According to the Chief Magistrate, she is not guilty of any misconduct.

She claimed, without stating when, that a group of armed men in a white car came looking for her but were directed to another place.

There are some beliefs among lawyers that High Court judges are making millions of dollars from cases before them that were initiated by a foreign assistance programme. In these matters, judges are paid thousands of dollars to clear out old and backlogged cases.

If one wants to talk about misconduct, then this is one instance, and the judges involved should be disbarred for having a financial interest in matters before them.

Reiterating her demands for reinstatement, the Chief Magistrate said that she wanted all her opportunities and all that have been taken away from her.

According to Holder-Allen, she is a lawyer of good standing, who came from a reputable chamber. Therefore, there could be no justification to her being sent on leave by a clerk.

Further, with there being a clear conflict of interest, where the persons making the complaints have to hear her case in the Judicial Service Commission, the Chief Magistrate said that she has drawn the line and will not be part of it.

“I am a defense counsel, and if I cannot represent myself then I am of no use to anyone,” the outspoken magistrate said.

“The situation where there could be a clear and unbiased hearing does not exist, and I have a serious problem with that. Obviously, I have been doing something right.”
According to Holder-Allen, she has no problem standing up for justice, and if there comes a time when a decision is made to relive her of duty, the “campaign for justice” will take a significant turn. “I will lead it.”
She stressed that there are no complaints or cases against her, and she is the one suffering.
The Chief Magistrate also disclosed that she is moving to international courts and has signed papers to that effect.
The Chief Magistrate questioned why her leave of absence has taken four years, in the absence of any complaints.

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Chief Magistrate breaks silence after four years of forced leave

– will not take part in any misconduct hearings

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Chief Magistrate breaks silence after four years of forced leave

– will not take part in any misconduct hearings

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Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

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