Is AG Anil Nandlall on his way out?

May 22, 2024 Letters

---

Dear Editor,

Just a bit of pre-ambling, then unto my letter proper, as I am still perplexed regarding reasons for a few propogandists, chanting ‘fairness and transparency’ at the last PPP/C’s Congress. I mean, did anyone accuse the PPP/C’s hierarchy of any skullduggery, or is it a case of the ‘wicked fleeing when no man is pursuing?’

So first, I invite readers to go back in history. In Aug 2017, Chief Justice (Ag) Justice Roxane George that ‘slapped in the face’ of the then Attorney-General, Basil Williams, who had touted that that the President and his actions were immune from legal challenge and that the Applicants leases were invalid, because they were not signed by the then President, Donald Ramotar. In fact, the Court held that the Applicants’ leases were properly executed and were valid and binding. As you can guess, the Applicants were represented by a slew of Attorneys-at-Law, led by present Attorney General, Anil Nandlall.

Now I will list just a few of Anil Nandalall’s momentous wins, that had serious and seminal overtones  for private citizens, as well as for the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), both when they were in Opposition, and also when in Government. Afterwards, I will present my points and my opinions on a few issues of great and grave importance in Guyana.

The partial List: Caribbean Court finds Granger’s appointment of GECOM Chairman “flawed”-18 June 2019; Caribbean Court of Justice makes landmark rulings against Guyana’s government (APNU/AFC)-JUNE 20, 2019; CCJ invalidates Guyana Court of Appeal ruling on election results (posited by APNU/AFC)-July 8, 2020; Red House remains as Chief Justice rules in favour of Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Aug 16, 2020; CCJ rules Guyana Govt. (PPP/C) can join ExxonMobil in fight against unlimited parent company guarantee for oil spills- May 15, 2024; and Nandlall wins $10M defamation suit against Basil Williams-Jul 3, 2023; and it goes on and on.

Now Editor, I will need too much time and space to itemise Anil Nandlall’s ‘golden role’ in delivering the PPP/C from the throes of APNU/AFC and keeping them in power; hence the sample above. In fact, I will boldly claim, that in Guyana’s history, legally and politically, Anil has no close second. Not Cheddi Jagan, nor LFS Burnham. His ability to spontaneously rise to demanding and necessary occasions and with the requisite savvy, erudition, expertise and general ‘know how’ is unparallel.  His contribution to the general well-being of Guyana, the citizenry as a whole, and for sure, the PPP/C’s rescue and triumph is quite heroic, and irrespective of some conjured up peccadillos, there is ‘not a blot on his escutcheon,’  legally, professionally, socially and politically.

However, and as a caveat, I now sound a prophetic message to this arduous and august champion, that is, his days with the PPP/C are numbered and that his rightful accession to the Presidency is rapidly evanescing. It should have been, but will never be. What a loss?

Readers, consider this, the headline, “President Dr. Irfaan Ali received the most votes in the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) internal elections for its new 35-member Central Committee.” As the details show, “The elections were recently held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre and Dr. Ali received 2,309 votes, over r. Bharrat Jagdeo, who mustered 2,257 votes. And apart from Dr. Ali and Jagdeo, the other top 10 members are: Zulfikar Mustapha (2,174 votes), Vickram Bharrat (2,046 votes), Gail Teixeira (2,015 votes), Nigel Dharamlall (1,912 votes), Collin Croal (1,792 votes), Kwame Mc Coy (1,721 votes), Anil Nandlall (1,690 votes), and Pauline Sukhai (1,688 votes).” Now what is shocking is that Anil scored a mere 1,690 votes, making him all but last, as he came in number 9 among the first ten.

I mean at this internal level, I can accept the President and his Vice topping the list. However, to have profusely besmirched characters and ‘serial sinners’ win more votes than the esteemed Anil smacks of esoteric chicanery and pre-planned machinations.  The likes of a tainted Kwame McCoy and Nigel Dharamlall, and mediocres, such as Zulfikar Mustapha, Vickram Bharrat, and Gail Teixeira, many of whom would be hard-pressed to pass CSEC and GCE, is a case of intellectual dysphagia.

Let us not forget that when Donald Ramotar was foisted on the nation, and then Irfaan Ali, people were shocked. The natural front-runner was and will always be Anil Nandlall. With this last Congress, the shock remains traumatic. Any pole on who is the most dominant, qualified and forceful politician in Guyana will see Anil Nandlall way ahead. To date, he remains the savior of the PPP/C, especially in matters most crucial, that is, at the legal front, and of course, he is the nemesis of the Opposition. He, almost all alone, thwarted the Opposition’s brazen and sustained attempts to steal the 2020 elections.

I recall Annan Boodram’s incisive letter, “The PPP seems to be facing a dilemma over the Presidential Candidate,” Stabroek News December 14, 2010, that ended quite tersely: “And unless a backroom deal is in the making, Moses should easily outvote Ralph in both the Central Committee and the Executive Committee. So, the million-dollar question is this: does (then) President Jagdeo, who has outwitted, delimited and diminished Freedom House for most of his Presidency, have one last cunning strategy up his sleeve, or will the old guard succeed in wresting back total control?

Read that letter, and apply it to what just took place and you have your answer. Readers, remember, Anil Nandlall, as the consummate legal luminary, has never compromised his stand. He never’ tried’ any kind of contortion when Bharrat Jagdeo was in egregious error. He is selective and rightfully so, and thus far, his silence on the Nigel Dharamlall’s many rape accusations is impactfully eloquent. Also, he never uttered a word in the desperate third-term case that Jagdeo was seeking to win, and to date, he has remained wisely mute in the $20 million default judgment determined against him in a libel suit brought by Opposition Member of Parliament (MP), Annette Ferguson. Of note too, accusations on the President’s academic, seeming fabricated qualification, found him un-involved.

Editor, I am left to wonder where history will head out come post 2030. I mean there are just many unturned stones in the PPP/C camp and among many personnel therein. Anil, of all people, is quite capable of legally upending the PPP/C if things go awfully awry for him. I repeat: Bear in mind that Anil Nandlall (SC) is not the ‘ordinary.’ He is quite a kahuna. And most of all he will not ‘jiggle spasmodically’ nor engage himself in any form of ‘arrhythmic gamboling and galumphing’. His eminence precludes these types of knee-jerking and ad hoc clumsiness.

Yours truly,

Prescott Mann

---

• Chief Justice (Ag) Justice Roxane George, Donald Ramotar, hierarchy, Prescott Mann, President

---