Latest update January 6th, 2025 4:00 AM
Opposition asks CCJ to award court costs in successful appeals
Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo has asked the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to consider awarding him court costs, since he has incurred significant legal expenses to defend Government’s challenge to the validity of the No-Confidence Motion. Likewise, his party member Zulfikar Mustapha who was successful in challenging the President’s unilateral appointment of retired Justice James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is also asking the court to grant him costs.
Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo
On July 01, 2019, the Opposition, through its lawyers including Trinidad and Tobago-based Senior Counsel Douglas Mendes, submitted written submissions on Consequential orders in relation to the CCJ, affirming that the Opposition-sponsored No-Confidence Motion against government was properly passed having acquired 33 votes of the 65 seats in the National Assembly.
The CCJ had ruled that the appointment of Patterson was “fatally flawed” and unconstitutional.
According to court documents seen by Kaieteur News, Jagdeo submitted that he was “forced to incur significant legal expense to defend the proceedings in the courts below and to prosecute his appeal before this Honourable Court (CCJ) and to defend the cross-appeals.” The PPP General Secretary told the regional court that he ought not to be forced to absorb the costs of his victory.
Zulfikar Mustapha
Mustapha, on the other hand, said that he was forced to incur costs to challenge the appointment of the Chairman of the Commission, and he ought not to be left out of pocket. While the Opposition Leader and Mustapha are asking the court to consider costs, the Government in similar submissions, made no order as to costs.Tomorrow, Friday July 12, at 14:00hrs, the CCJ will give Consequential Orders and declarations in relation to the two matters. At a post judgment hearing on June 24, the Opposition and Government were unable to arrive at a consensus on the way forward with regards to the rulings of the regional court. In this regard, lawyers were ordered to make written submissions on the issue by July 01.
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