GTU withdraws contempt proceedings against senior Govt. officials in union dues remittance case

Sep 30, 2025 News

Kaieteur News – The Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) withdrew its application for warrants of committal and contempt proceedings against several senior public officials, over their alleged non-compliance with a court order handed down by Justice Sandil Kissoon.

GTU withdraws contempt proceedings against senior Govt. officials in union dues remittance case

President of the Guyana Teachers’s Union Coretta Mc Donald

The GTU had filed contempt proceedings against the state officials over their failure to comply with an order of court in relation to the remittance of teachers’ union dues.

In its application, the GTU noted Justice Kissoon had ordered the officials of the government to continue the remittance of union dues until the final determination of court case filed over teacher salary increases. The government had moved to stop remitting the dues to the union following months of protest over calls for a hike in salaries.

The contempt proceedings drafted by attorney Darren Wade on the August 26^th, 2025 sought committal warrants against Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall SC, Minister of Finance Ashni Singh, Regional Executive Officer of Region 4 Donald Gajraj, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education Ms. Shannielle Hoosein-Outar, Regional Executive Officer Region Two, Susanah Saywack, Regional Executive Officer Region Six, Narendra Persaud and Regional Executive Officer Region Five, Sadick Ishmael.

On Monday, GTU president, Coretta McDonald told Kaieteur News that decision to withdraw the application was based on advice given by their attorney Mr. Wade.

“Mr. Wade has advised us to withdraw the application until further notice, as their some technical issues with the filing. I don’t think, this is the end of this issue. We are just going to have discussions to decide on the way forward. Just at this time, we allow good sense to prevail. We will regroup and then we are going to be looking at the way forward,” the GTU president stated in an invited comment.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General Chambers in a press release noted that September, 12, 2025, the Attorney General filed a Notice of Application to strike out the contempt of Court proceedings on a number of technical grounds.

These grounds included the failure to follow mandatory procedures to serve the contempt applications on the alleged contemnors personally; that the proceedings were statured barred pursuant to section 16 of the Contempt of Act, as the application was made more than one year after the time of the alleged contempt and that the contempt of court proceedings cannot be instituted against the state unless there is compliance with certain provisions contained in the State Liability and Proceedings Act.

According to the release at the hearing of this application, an oral request was made for Justice Kissoon to recuse himself from these contempt proceedings, as the subject judgment was handed down by him previously.

For the hearing, the Attorney General appeared in person along with Darshan Ramdhani KC, Shoshanna V. Lall – Deputy Solicitor General, Ronetta Prince – Principal Legal Advisor, Omar Hoppie and Ron Austin – State Counsel for the Respondent.

The judge acceded to this request and adjourned the hearing pending the reassignment of the matter by the Chief Justice.

Subsequently, the release added that Attorney General was served with a notice withdrawing and discontinuing the contempt proceedings altogether.

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contempt, GTU, teachers pay, Union dues, withdraw

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