This dismissal should be condemned and challenged

Oct 12, 2017 Features / Columnists, Peeping Tom

The dismissal of the Deputy Solicitor General of Guyana, Prithima Kissoon, must be exposed for what it is: a flagrant miscarriage of justice by a constitutional body; aided and abetted by the government.
Another professional has failed to obtain the protection which was expected of a constitutional body. She has not been the first and she will not be the last victim of political victimisation by the Granger administration. Others have been victimised, some in similar fashion to the action which has been taken against the Deputy Solicitor General.
This constitutes an attack on professionals and on professionalism, in the public service. It makes a mockery of the Granger administration’s claim to wanting to have a professional public service.
The victimisation meted out to the now dismissed, Deputy Solicitor General has failed to attract the attention of those attention-seeking women organisations that are quick to raise their voices on other issues. Perhaps, they did not know about the latest twist, but it is nonetheless disconcerting that they could not have taken up this woman’s cause earlier, when it was made public.
The country has found itself in this situation because of the silence which greeted the clear and the obvious interference in constitutional commissions by the Granger administration.
The decision of the Public Service Commission is appealable. But that is a lengthy process, and does not guarantee reinstatement, so it may not be an option which the now dismissed woman may be interested in pursuing.
Walter Rodney had another way in which he sought to gain justice for victims of political oppression. He asked for the identities of the oppressors and victimisers to be made public. His method was public exposure, not public shaming.
The names of those who were complicit in the unfair dismissal of this woman should be made known, so that the citizens of this country can know the persons responsible for the miscarriage of justice in this country.
The public should support those who have been victims of political witch hunting. The fight for justice must be intensified for these persons. Legal options, though drawn out, should be encouraged.
There are Guyanese here and abroad who would be willing to establish a fund for the victims of racial and political discrimination and victimisation in Guyana. Millions can be collected to hire lawyers to pursue justice in our courts. Millions can also be collected to compile a list of such victims to be passed on to international organisations, including the International Labour Organization and the United Nations.
It is waste of time appealing to the very government which is undertaking this witch hunt against professionals who worked under the PPPC. It is waste of time asking for justice from the unjust. It is a waste of time asking for the government to review its actions.
It is sad that public officers were conscripted to be part of the process which led to the dismissal of a professional in the public service. It is sadder that the Public Service Commission is alleged to have acted on one complaint, but not on an earlier one. The media should question the members of the Commission about the actions they have taken.
The members of the old Commission need to be grilled by the media as to the basis of their decision to terminate the services of such a senior officer for an alleged breach of a public service rule that is unconstitutional.
The freedom of movement of a citizen public servant is guaranteed by the Constitution of Guyana and cannot be restricted by an administrative rule. In any event, even if there was a violation of a public service rule, was dismissal necessary?
What about a fair hearing to the accused? Was this provided?
Guyanese should no longer sit back and allow these incidents of miscarriage of justice to go uncontested. It is time for a defence fund to be started, to help those who have been victims of political and ethnic victimisation to challenge the actions taken against them.

2 thoughts on “This dismissal should be condemned and challenged”

bl_666 October 12, 2017 at 3:57 pm

“… must be exposed for what it is: a flagrant miscarriage of justice by a constitutional body;”

I contend this was much much more than a ‘miscarriage of justice”. This was a series of miscarriages of justice.
Golda Ganeshdin October 12, 2017 at 8:02 pm

Political and ethnic discrimination was there from time immemorial in Guyana. Has been happening twenty plus years and allegedly happening now no one challenged that in the past and it would not be challenged now. I guess the boot is on the other foot. So much for politics and the political actors. I have stopped voting years now and don’t think I will ever vote again