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Ali on Chancellor, Chief Justice
Editorial…
Kaieteur News- Governments have a reputation for being slow to the point of paralysis. In Guyana, however, the PPPC Government has just compiled a record worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of World Records. It has been almost five years since the Irfaan Ali government returned to power, and the vital matter of confirming the appointments of the Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice still hangs undecided. In President Ali’s own words, “we continue to examine the issue,” and “the matter of Chancellor and Chief Justice is important to me, and the judiciary, and our country, so I’ll continue to work to find a solution.” As a soundbite, there are persuasive ingredients in what the president offered. In reality, this is how a nation is embarrassed, how a leader makes himself look small.
Acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire have occupied their important judicial roles in an acting capacity for 13 and 9 years, respectively. A serious president would not want that dubious situation to last another day under his government. It has been close to five years since President Ali has held his vaunted title, and he is still working to find a solution. We think that the only obstacle to confirming the CoJ and CJ is the president himself, with his government in lockstep. The president was clever enough to mention the Leader of the Opposition on this thorny issue (he “is aware of their appointment”). But aware of what, that they both are still acting after five years of PPPC governance? That this country has been lacking a substantive CoJ and CJ for going on a quarter of a century? Also, the president has to have his wits about him. It would help him to be aware that the Opposition Leader has already expressed support for the confirmation of Justices Cummings-Edwards and George-Wiltshire. Simple logic emphasises that, since that constitutional hurdle has been cleared, the only ones having difficulty over these two confirmations have to be the PPPC Government and Ali himself.
A discomforting fact is that President Ali has compiled a tall record of giving comforting assurances on challenging subjects, and then seems to wash his hands of those matters. Transparency is one, accountability is now coated in disgrace, and unity is unable to smile due to a terribly disfigured face. Like the serious consideration claimed to be given by Ali on removing the acting from the titles of CoJ and CJ, he had promised similarly on those other three boiling issues in Guyana. Regarding unity, transparency, and accountability under Ali’s watch, the best that could be said is that all three areas have deteriorated to their worst states. Considering how the government has tied itself into knots over the two substantive appointments, and the president has egg on his face, the trend has continued. The trend of making solemn statements in public, which have a pleasing ring to them, and then moving on without so much as a second thought or glance.
It could be that the president forgets quickly, or his government has better things to do, or there are other considerations at work, which are too self-shaming to mention. To have these two positions of trust lingering in the realm of acting appointments for almost 25 years must qualify for national shame. In his wisdom, President Ali may not think so, since politics is the alpha and omega of everything for him and his government. Due to his packed schedule, it is probable that the president may not have heard, or absorbed fully, the calls of the Guyana Bar Association and the Caribbean Court of Justice for the confirmation of a substantive CoJ and CJ. It is worth mentioning that we have noticed that there are many times when President Ali hears what he wants to hear. Then there are those other times, when he develops acute disturbances with listening to what is not in keeping with his government’s calculations.
Guyana needs a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice. This must supersede all other visions, calculations. The president should discontinue his farce about examining and produce two substantive appointments. His presidency could be better for it; Guyana would be better off.
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