Row causes irreparable damage to already challenged judicial system - GTUC

Row causes irreparable damage to already challenged judicial system – GTUC

May 12, 2009 News

Carl Singh vs Sita Ramlal…

In the past, political parties and other organisations and individuals have questioned the integrity of the justice system.

Sita Ramlal

Now, more controversy has arisen with the recent public charges and counter-changes by Supreme Court Registrar, Sita Ramlal and acting Chancellor, Justice Carl Singh, against each and this scenario is once again putting the spotlight of the state of affairs of the justice system.

The Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) has described the recent row between these two prominent persons as bringing irreparable damage to the judicial system.

GTUC General Secretary, Norris Witter, said that the judicial system is already challenged on its credentials as an independent and credible institution capable of dispensing justice fairly.

According to Witter, the public revelations of these learned public servants begs for an impartial and independent commission of inquiry, comprising of personnel preferably from CARICOM and or the OAS, to investigate the state of the Judiciary and to submit appropriate recommendations for its restoration to an institution of moral rectitude and credibility.

When contacted, the only comment offered on the issue by President of the Guyana Bar Association (GBA), Teni Housty, was that despite everything, the administration of justice is bigger, broader and greater than the individuals who are part of it.

He added that the administration of justice would survive.

The row between Ramlal and Justice Singh recently went up another notch with the Registrar describing as unfortunate, allegations made against her in a recent press release issued by the Office of Justice Singh.

The acting Chancellor had made several allegations of financial impropriety against the Registrar, which countered an earlier statement that was sent by Miss Ramlal to the Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon.

The issue being dealt with concerns a programme that was aimed at reducing the backlog of cases in the High Court for which judges were paid a fee of $15,000 for each cased cleared up.

Both parties have described each other’s allegations as baseless and have vowed that they will not be intimidated.

Ramlal was also interdicted from duty last Wednesday.

This newspaper understands that the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which is headed by Justice Carl Singh, took the decision to proceed with this form of action until the hearing and determination of Ramlal’s court matter, which is currently before the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court.

Ramlal reportedly received the letter from the JSC on Wednesday afternoon. Her interdiction was effective immediately.

Kaieteur News understands that Ramlal had applied to Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon, for administrative leave immediately after she was charged with several counts of conspiring to commit a felony on April 27.

Dr. Luncheon had granted Ramlal’s request.

Ramlal and former Major General of the Guyana Defence Force, Norman Mc Lean, were recently slapped with a number of indictable counts of conspiring to commit a felony.