-deplores `veiled threat to independence of judiciary’
`The AG is not the legal guardian of the minds of the Guyanese people.
It is an opportunistic political argument perhaps best suited to the hustings of an elections campaign than a sound legal argument suitable for Court. It is most unfortunate, disrespectful and should have been withdrawn’
Finding in favour of two companies seeking to enforce an arbitral ruling against Venezuelan oil company, PDVSA, Justice Gino Persaud on Friday rapped Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall SC for suggesting that such a decision could be seen as “unpatriotic” and “anti-nationalist”.
In his ruling seen by the Sunday Stabroek, Justice Persaud also remonstrated with the AG for what was seen as a “veiled threat to the independence of the judiciary designed to intimidate the court”.
The judge’s ruling has its genesis in an application by Phillips Petroleum Company Venezuela Limited and ConocoPhillips Petrozuata BV for the enforcement here of a 2019 arbitral ruling against PDVSA, Corpoguanipa and PDVSA Petroleo. Similar applications have been made in other Caribbean jurisdictions and granted. PDVSA has had years of commercial transactions with the Guyana Government and payments remain outstanding to it.