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Attorney General to initiate disciplinary action against Deputy Solicitor General
– adamant that Kissoon acted in favour of Opposition
The dispute between Attorney General Basil Williams and Deputy State Solicitor Prithima Kissoon escalated yesterday, with Williams revealing that he has taken steps to initiate disciplinary action against Kissoon.
Williams made the revelation in a statement, while repeating allegations that the Deputy Solicitor was undermining pertinent legal matters between the Government and the Opposition. The Attorney General is presently in Jamaica for a Council of Legal Education meeting.
“There are numerous memoranda issued to her for numerous infractions. On my return to Guyana I shall reveal, in greater detail, Ms. Kissoon’s hatred of the change in government,” Williams added.
The AG revealed that he has instructed the Permanent Secretary of the Attorney General Chambers/Ministry of Legal Affairs to inform the Public Service Commission, of the Chambers’ intention to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Ms. Kissoon, and further, to enquire of the PSC’s procedures pertaining to same.
Williams’ statement came in response to Kissoon’s claims that the Attorney General had taken steps to remove her from all state cases.
The Deputy Solicitor General had been accused of undermining pertinent legal matters between the government and the opposition.
In a previous statement, the AG had accused Kissoon of being openly supportive of the PPP/C Opposition and the Party’s lawyer Anil Nandlall.
But Kissoon filed an official complaint against Minister Basil Williams with the Public Service Commission, claiming that she was ordered to cease all cases on behalf of the AG Chambers.
However in his statement last evening Williams accused Kissoon of attempting to cloud the facts of a situation.
Last week, State-owned newspaper, Guyana Chronicle had carried a critical piece, insinuating that Kissoon was to be blamed for Government recently losing a race-baiting appeal case against former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
Following the article, the Deputy State Solicitor, in an undated letter to the Public Service Commission, claimed that she was ordered to cease all cases on behalf of the AG Chambers. She also denied she was to be blamed for the race-baiting case being tossed out.
Attorney General, Basil Williams
Deputy State Solicitor, Prithima Kissoon
The Deputy Solicitor General said that Williams, despite being reminded that he has to file an affidavit in response, did nothing.
Kissoon made a request for the commission to investigate the case and also allow her to proceed on leave and grant permission to leave the country.
According to the complaint against Attorney General Basil Williams, Kissoon was hired by the commission as Deputy Solicitor General in February 2013. Before that she worked with three previous Attorneys General.
Kissoon said that her first three months with the new AG starting in May 2015 were “somewhat” cordial.
However, the AG was slow in granting his approval and signature on a number of cases and decisions.
The official claimed she represented the AG Chambers in the majority of cases even when it was Williams who had undertaken to appear.
“The Attorney General, Mr. Basil Williams, has failed to approve or sign written submissions prepared by me or examine pleadings despite those documents being sent to him via email or being given to his Confidential Secretary, Ms. Demi Hipplewith, Ms. Andrea Marks and other assistants he has retained over the past year,” Kissoon claimed.
Kissoon claimed that Minister Williams even instructed his secretary and his other assistants to refuse to accept any documents or correspondences from her, and as a result, “I have had to resort to registering or express mailing him my correspondence and at all times emailing him and carbon copying relevant recipients.”
“The Deputy Solicitor General alleged that the AG has effectively ensured that she is prohibited and restrained from performing her functions.
“Commissioners, I respectfully wish to inform you that the course of conduct administered unlawfully by the AG, personally upon me, are reprehensible, unbearable and malicious, initiated and executed by the AG, Basil Williams SC, so that I leave the office which I consider through the opinion of my lawyers as CONSTRUCTIVE DISMISSAL.”
She asked that the commission grant permission for her to proceed on her deferred leave from 2016, that was denied by the AG, while a remedy is found.
“I await your directions within a week and also permission to leave the country.”
The letter was copied to Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.
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