Dear Editor,
It is quite clear that the coalition government will go all out to stall elections as long as possible. They will use the court system as an excuse – waiting until the appeal process is fully ventilated, but at the same time they are making mistakes (may be deliberately) to even delay the process.
The glaring mistakes of dates and omitting the name of a respondent are shameful. From press reports it appears that Attorney General Basil Williams is not taking the blame for the “faulty” pleadings which resulted in a heated dialogue with newly appointed Solicitor General, Nigel Hawke minutes after Justice Rishi Persaud refused to amend the pleadings. The Stabroek News reported that Hawke left the office with his personal belongings with a taxi and resigned from his job. However Demerara Waves reported that Hawke had not resigned and he was at his desk yesterday. Demerara Waves also stated that Hawke did not have an input in the preparation of the pleadings.
I know Hawke personally. In fact while I served as Solicitor General in Belize I recruited him from Guyana to work as Senior Crown Counsel. I was very impressed with his all-round ability. He later appeared a few times before the Caribbean Court of Justice. He was subsequently elevated to Solicitor General. He was the most hardworking, brilliant and meticulous lawyer in the government. Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, an outstanding Senior Counsel said that Hawke was the most efficient and dedicated lawyer he has known.
The hearing of the appeal to the Guyana Court of Appeal is delayed because of the “foul up” by the Attorney General’s Chambers and it is not known when there will be a full hearing by the local Appellate Court and it is anticipated that the issue will end up before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). God knows when it will reach there for a final determination by the Courts.
There are further obstacles leading to elections. GECOM voted to have a house-to-house voters registration which could take nine months although there were local government elections three months ago. Meanwhile, PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo is exploring options for legal action against GECOM for continuing to delay the holding of elections.
He is calling for sanctions against the Guyana Government such as freezing bank accounts and prohibition of personal travel. Jagdeo said that the PNC was dominating the elections management authority with President Granger’s unilateral appointment of its Chairman, 84 year old retired judge James Patterson.
The Granger administration is bent on ignoring the no-confidence motion and the Order made by acting Chief Justice Roxane George. Cabinet is still meeting, but it is using other names such as “plenaries”, press conferences etc. Critics feel that the coalition wants to delay the holding of elections as long as possible.
However the PNC has good reason not to worry since there is a rift in the PPP camp. A large number of the supporters do not agree that Irfaan Ali should be the Presidential Candidate since they feel he was handpicked by former President Bharrat Jagdeo coupled with the fact that he is facing a series of criminal charges and his academic certificates have been questioned. They feel that Anil Nandlall and Frank Anthony would be better choices. Many of them are contemplating abstaining from voting.
Yours faithfully,
Oscar Ramjeet
