Latest update December 23rd, 2024 3:40 AM
High Court sacks top brass of Public Service Credit Union over contempt
Kaieteur News – High Court Justice Navindra Singh on Tuesday stripped three officers of the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union (GPSCCU) of their rights, duties and responsibilities within the Credit Union after they failed to show up in a contempt of court matter.
Citing their barefaced disregard for the court, the judge ordered that Chairman of GPSCCU Karen Vanslyutman-Corbin, Secretary Gillian Pollard and Board Member, Ruth Howard no longer hold their positions or perform duties within the credit union until the hearing and determination of the matter in September.
He also ordered that former Chairman of the Credit Union, Trevor Benn, Vice Chairman, Patrick Mentore and Treasurer, Rajdai Jaggernauth fill their positions and perform their functions.
Justice Singh made the order after attorneys representing the three respondent failed to provide a plausible explanation for their absence.
The lawyers explained that their clients were out of the jurisdiction; that they had left the country to attend a conference. However, Justice Singh did not find the excuse good enough.
Instead, a livid Justice Singh threatened to have Vanslyutman- Corbin, Howard, and Pollard arrested and detain as soon as they returned to Guyana. The judge noted that given the serious nature of contempt of court proceedings, the three respondents ought to have been present for the hearing.
In addition, it was noted that the respondents failed to pay the $1 million cost imposed during a previous outcome of the case.
The judge therefore stressed that the absence of the respondents at the proceeding and lack of compliance showed a blatant disrespect for the court.
Attorneys and representatives of GPSCUU following the hearing on Tuesday
As such, he upbraided Attorneys Leslyn Noble, Adrian Smith, and Paula Jones- Nicholson for their clients’ behaviour and noted that since the three respondents seem bent on violating his order, they will remain ordinary members until the hearing and determination of the Court matter on September 13, 2023. The three persons were also ordered to pay the outstanding $1 million in court on or before that date.
Back in September, Justice Singh ruled that the Committee of Management must issue a new notice within 10 days of the date of the Order, scheduling a Special General Meeting (SGM) to be held no later than the 24th October, 2022.
This was not done and the notice was issued three days before the meeting and backdated.
Last March, Attorney-at-law Mr. Roysdale Forde, SC, filed Contempt of Court proceedings against the Committee of Management of the GPSCCU.
The action was filed on behalf of Mehalai McAlmont, and others. They petitioned the court to declare that members of the GPSCCU Committee of Management (CoM) unlawfully failed to comply with the principal orders made by Justice Singh on September 30, 2022.
As such the lawyer is seeking several orders including a declaration that the GPSCCU, Noble, Howard, and Vansluytman- Corbin, have unlawfully failed to comply with the principal orders made by Justice Navindra Singh on September 30, 2022.
That matter was scheduled to be heard on Tuesday but the Court could not proceed given the absence of the three respondents.
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