Kako Toshao Mario Hastings will return to the Supreme Court on November 26, for a hearing into his refusal to allow a miner access through his village’s waterway, despite a court order.
Following a standoff last month with a miner seeking to begin operations upriver of Kako village, the toshao of the remote Amerindian community, was required to make an appearance yesterday before Justice Dawn Gregory-Barnes who had initially served him the order.
However, the case was called in the courtroom of Justice Brassington Reynolds who asked Hastings if he had understood the order. The Toshao said he did and according to him, he was not present at the time of the incident. “Wrong person,” was his response to Justice Reynolds.
He was told to acquire a lawyer and was granted leave to respond. Stabroek News understands that Attorney Nigel Hughes will represent Hastings.
Hastings was served with a notice of motion seeking his imprisonment “for wilful and brazen disobedience and contempt” of an order granted on August 20 directing that the equipment of miner, Belina Charlie, be allowed to pass.
Stabroek News had reported last month that three times this year, villagers rushed to their boats, faced off with Charlie and rejected letters from officials, a court order and pleas to allow the gold mining equipment to pass. Each time the dredge was forced to return downriver.
