Georgetown Mayor, Opposition MP on $200k bail each for controversial remarks, traffic offences

Dec 16, 2022 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Kaieteur News – The Mayor of Georgetown, Ubraj Narine and Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Sherod Duncan were on Thursday placed on $200,000 bail on allegations that they attempted to excite ethnic division among citizens as well obstructing traffic.

The duo appeared at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan. The City Mayor and Duncan were not required to plead to the first charge which stated that on Monday December 12, at New Market Street, Georgetown, they intentionally transmitted by use of computer system a video attempting to excite ethnic division among the people of Guyana on the ground of race. While the first charge was laid indictably, the second charge was laid summarily.

The second charge stated that on December 12, at New Market Street, the Mayor and the MP attempted to excite public hostility or ill will against a section of the public on the grounds of their race. Both Narine and Duncan pleaded not guilty to the second charge after it was read to them. They are being represented by a battery of lawyers led by Senior Counsel, Roysdale Forde. The other attorneys include: Khemraj Ramjattan; Darren Wade and Amanza Walton-Desir.

Police Prosecutor Shellon Daniels, who is prosecuting the matter, told the court that both charges stemmed from one issue so the matters will be heard together.

Prosecutor Daniels said that Onika Vickory, a senior technician employed with the Ministry of Public Works, acting on instructions from the Minister of Public Works, Juan Edghill to remove the stalls on New Market Street had contracted three trucks and drivers to carry out a removal exercise of the stalls along New Market Street (in front of the Georgetown Public Hospital).

She added that they were able to remove one of the caravans, which was then taken to the ministry’s compound. However, while attempting to remove a second caravan, they were prevented from doing so by the Mayor, the MP and other persons. As a result, the police were summoned. The prosecutor added that Narine and Duncan placed concrete blocks, garbage bins and other items along the roadway preventing the flow of traffic.

Daniels further stated that on the said night, the Mayor did an interview with Duncan and that during the interview that was aired on a Facebook page ‘Credible Sources’, the Mayor made several remarks.

However, when questioned by the Chief Magistrate in relation to the remarks that were made by the Mayor, the prosecutor informed the court that she is unaware of the remarks that were made since those were not stated in the case file.

The magistrate then stated that the charge is in relation to remarks made to excite hostility and as such, the court will need to be provided with the remarks that were made. The Chief Magistrate then ordered that the prosecutor contact the investigating rank to get the remarks that were made by the Mayor. The matter was then put down to give the prosecutor time to gather additional information.

When the matter was recalled, Prosecutor Daniels told the court that during the interview, the Mayor said “Is it because I am a Hindu and he is a Muslim that he cannot work with me. The government is a dictatorship government and is this State going to become a Muslim state…? These are Black people here who are vending here and you are going to bulldoze them instead of having a talk with them like you did with the speedboat operators, rice farmers, cane cutters or fishermen, they are mostly Hindus that’s why you went there but because these are Black people, you are bulldozing them like animals, like dogs…”

Attorney Wade, in his address to the court stated that his clients were arrested at the Mayor’s office and then walked to the Brickdam Police Station. He stated that the Mayor, who lives at Lamaha Street, Georgetown, is a pandit of 19 years and has an unblemished record. He added that Duncan who lives at Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara, has no previous convictions.

In his bail application, he noted that his clients are not flight-risk and intend to defend the charges before the court. The lawyer then asked for his client to be released on their own recognizance.

Prosecutor Daniels made no objection to bail being granted but asked for two conditions be attached to the bail. Chief Magistrate McLennan granted bail in the sum of $100,000 on each charge and adjourned the matter to January 20, 2023. The conditions attached to their bail is that they are barred from posting or causing anyone to post/air anything online in relation to the matter that is before the court. They are also required to report to the Brickdam Police Station the last Friday of every month until the completion of the matter. The City Mayor and the MP then headed to the traffic court where they were slapped with two charges for obstructing the flow of traffic. For these two charges, they were released on self-bail.