Appeal Court sets date for GECOM Chairmanship case

Jul 02, 2018 News

The Court of Appeal is set to commence hearing the legal challenge to the GECOM Chairmanship as early as next month.
In response to an application for an early date, the Appeal Court is expected to hear the appeal against the decision of Chief Justice Roxanne George in relation to the appointment of James Patterson as the Chairman of GECOM, on July 25, 2018.
The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has been pushing for an early hearing of the appeal of the High Court decision over the appointment of the Guyana Elections Commission, (GECOM) Chairman.
An application filed on behalf of PPP executive member, Zulfikar Mustapha, had outlined the party’s concern as it relates to the timeframe in which the matter should be heard.
In the application, the PPP executive noted that given that the Minister responsible for Local Government Elections has publicly signaled that these will be held by December 2018, and National and Regional Elections by August 2020, it is in the national and public interest, that this appeal be heard and determined as early as is reasonably possible.
However, regardless of how the Appeal Court rules, the applicant expressed that there is every likelihood that the decision of Court would be appealed to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
“In the circumstances, that the State (Respondent) can hardly claim to suffer any prejudice or injustice by an early resolution of the issues raised in this appeal and indeed it would be in the best public and national interest that they support this application.”
The applicant had expressed concern that among other things, Chief Justice (Roxanne George-Wiltshire S.C.) misconstrued and misinterpreted the role of the Leader of the Opposition in Article 161 (2) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.
Attorney-at-law Anil Nandlall is leading the legal team, which is asking the Court of Appeal to overturn her recent ruling concerning the appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
The appeal is challenging the appointment of 84-year-old Justice (Rtd) James Patterson as Chairman of GECOM.

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