GUYANA AND THE COURTS

Apr 20, 2018 Letters

Editor,
While a battle is going on between President David Granger and Opposition leader Bharrat Jagdeo over the appointment of the Head of Judiciary, it seems there will be endless legal battles in the Courts of Guyana.
The latest are the private criminal charges brought against two senior government officials
Two former officials in the Jagdeo administration were charged in absentia with three counts of misconduct in public office. Both accused, former Finance Minister Ashni Singh and former Head of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, Winston Brassington are overseas.
The charges filed on Wednesday are against the sitting minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence, and former Minister Dr. George Norton. The two government officials are also charged for misconduct in public office, charges similar to those faced by Singh and Brassington.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) can intervene and enter a nolle prosequi against Lawrence and Norton. Incidentally she has the power to intervene in all criminal prosecutions, including those against the PNC officials.
I should note that the sitting DPP Shalimar Ali- Hack is being investigated by the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) in the Pradoville Land issue and this might put her in an awkward position. But SOCU has been threatening PPP officials ever since Granger took over the administration, apparently without substantial evidence to lay charges.
There are also criticisms that APNU/AFC officials are also involved in skullduggery, but so far no charges have been laid against any government officials.
The Granger administration does not have capable attorneys to represent the government by way of Opinions or Court appearances in complicated issues and to this end two Barbadian Queens Counsel, Ralph Thorne and Hal Gollop have been retained to represent the government firm from the third term case involving former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
The respondent in the case, Cedric Richardson, also sought the services of Senior Counsel, Douglas Mendes, and a firm from Port of Spain.
Guyana’s Attorney General, Basil Williams, SC, has often been criticized for ill advising the government in several issues which cost the government millions of dollars.
His main critic is Anil Nandlall, the former attorney general, who incidentally is also facing a criminal charge over law books. The latest critic against Williams is his assertion that he was granted permission from the Council of Legal Education to establish a law school in Guyana.
Guyana which produced the best legal brains in the Commonwealth Caribbean, the likes of the Luckhoos, JOF Haynes, Kenneth Stoby, Victor Crane, Mohamed Shahabuddeen, Shridath Ramphal, Fenton Ramsahoye, Keith Massiah et al does not have that outstanding status any longer.
The Co-operative is the only country in the planet where there must be an agreement between the Head and Government and Opposition leader over the appointment of Chancellor and Chief Justice. This blunder is responsible for the country to be in limbo for more than 15 years.
Carl Singh and Ian Chang could not be confirmed in their positions, They retired as “actors”. And now there is no agreement over the President and the Opposition leader’s nominees. When will this end?
Oscar Ramjeet

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