…(partially) of the Judiciary
Yesterday, a whole lotta people in Guyana breathed a deep sigh of relief when the Court of Appeal UNANIMOUSLY ruled to dismiss the appeal brought by the PNC’s proxy, Misenga Jones, to prevent the GECOM Chair from declaring the results of the March 2 elections. The fear, of course, had been that the Court would knuckle under the bullyism of the PNC – as they’d done on a couple of occasions, notably on that “33 isn’t the majority of 65” case!! Well, this time they pulled themselves together and came out for the people – mostly!
And finally, we had the Court using the law to lay down the law to the PNC! All three judges used terms like “frivolous” and “vexatious” several times to refer to the PNC’s case – such as it was! The GECOM Chair was told, now for the umpteenth time, that the order for the recount is legal; the results of the recount are valid and legal; the CEO CANNOT take it upon himself to become judge and jury about the bona fides of the “irregularities” that were thrown like spanners into the recount by the PNC; and finally, that the CEO is a statutory creature, subject to the direction of the Commission!
The anger of the PNC was, of course, anticipated, and was palpably represented by one Maxwell Edwards – who appears to be Basil Williams’s attack hound. After the Judgement was handed down, he asked to make an intervention – to which Anil Nandlall asked snarkily, “Why Basil Williams didnt “ALLOW” you to speak before”!! Edwards snarled that “the machinery” – the Zoom facilities! – had prevented him from speaking, and demanded a three-day stay on the Judgement.
Nandlall then provoked him into a state of apoplexy – almost foaming at the mouth!! – when he asked the Court with elaborately raised eyebrows, “A stay on what? The dismissal of the appeal?? There’s nothing to STAY – as in putting on “hold”!!” At this point, Justice Gregory said she was of a mind to grant a one-day stay, but the two other Justices had decided otherwise. The PNC continued to bluster, and Gregory and Persaud caved in to the PNC’s bullyism and gave then a day; with Sewnarine-Beharry, to her eternal credit, the most junior member of the Appellate Bench, interjecting forcefully that she wanted it recorded that she disagreed!! Unfortunately, with no legal reason proffered, the PNC was given a day’s stay.
Now, some may say that, with today being a holiday, the point is moot. Well, not necessarily…the Court sadly showed that it was still amenable to PNC’s bullying.
But the Chair scheduled a meeting for Sunday at 10am!! Checkmate!!
Look out for fireworks this weekend!!
…and mobilisation
Saturday is Emancipation Day, the day when our forebears had their chains finally thrown off, after hundreds of years of slavery. And which was followed by what one scholar called “A new form of slavery — “Indentureship of mainly East Indians”. But, very sadly, rather than use the occasion for helping their African-Guyanese supporters destroy the more subtle chains of mental slavery, the PNC’s leading them down the road of doom.
Clearly, in his insistence to follow in the footsteps of his leader Forbes Burnham, David Granger’s prepared to do exactly what Walter Rodney had warned the African-Guyanese people against back in 1977. Burnham had brought the PPP activist Arnold Rampersaud – falsely accused of murder – from Berbice to Georgetown to be lynched. Rodney explained how Burnham was willing to destroy the proud legacy of African Guyanese’s fight for justice. Rampersaud was acquitted!!
This weekend, Granger and his minions will try to work up their supporters that “they wuz robbed”. Even though for five months every Court has ruled otherwise.
Reject the words of serpents!
…and Guyanese Unity
Emancipation should be commemorated by all Guyanese – for marking the end of the most brutal illustration of the aphorism, “Man to man, is a wolf.”
Let’s resolve to never oppress anyone because of their race.
