…loses his clothes
In the oral presentations before the CCJ on the unilateral appointment of Justice James Patterson to the post of Chairman of GECOM by President David Granger, the question was raised as to whether the latter was the “Monarch” or “President” of Guyana. It’s a very reasonable question, in light of the arguments his attorneys’ – “Queens Counsels” all – implicit insistence that Granger is above the Constitution!!
In the days of yore, of course, Monarchs ruled by “Divine Right” and were answerable to no one but themselves. But perhaps the (foreign) Counsels didn’t realise we in Guyana followed the British in matters of governance? They’d lopped off the head of Charles I to institute the “rule of law” via constitutional principles that insisted absolutely NO ONE was above the law!
The case, of course, rested on the issue whether Granger should’ve consulted the Opposition Leader (OL) when he appointed Patterson. The President of the CCJ, not unreasonably, asked Granger’s Attorney – as your Eyewitness has been asking in this space for months – as to why the Herdmanston Accord insisted on changing Article 161 (2) to do away with the unilateral appointment that had been practiced by Burnham – after he custom-designed the 1980 Constitution? Wasn’t it the clear intent of the amendment in 2000 –unanimously affirmed by the PNC – that the selection of the GECOM Chair should involve “meaningful consultations” between the President and the OL?
“Matters not!” said the Bajan Queens Counsel (BCQ)! Granger’s subjective judgement must be “unfettered!! So shouldn’t the Opposition Leader have an inkling of the objective criteria Granger was using to reject the lists he was submitting – since the former wasn’t possessed of clairvoyance? “Naah!” replied the BCQ, “any consultation” would come AFTER the list was submitted – and be known by the latter’s rejection since no reasons were needed to be stated for the said rejection! And in any case, even if there were stated criteria, and one or more names satisfied them, the President could still reject the list in toto!! Even the CCJ couldn’t inquire into the arbitrary decision of Granger – unless, the BQC allowed, he acted “illegally, irrationally, or with procedural impropriety”!!
Now, one knows that Bajans puff up their chest and insist they live in “little England” but the BQC’s were really pushing the royal line to such an extent that the CCJ’s justices literally lost their cool! Wasn’t the case all about whether Granger acted ““illegally, irrationally, or with procedural impropriety” vis a vis the Constitution in general and Article 161 (2) in particular??
Well looks like the King lost his clothes and will be roasted!
…and SOCU
From the very beginning of the PNC/AFC term, something stunk about the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) which had been formed by the PPP Administration to go after criminals suspected of money laundering. The PNC/AFC immediately sicked the unit onto the ex-PPP Administration for “stolen” State assets – which is SARA’s job!!. One Army Special Services officer, who wasn’t even part of the Unit, was deployed to stalk a house supposedly owned by the Brassington Chair of NICIL in Kingston. When a car left the premises, the Officer went into hot pursuit and got himself killed in the process!
At that point, the mission of SOCU should’ve been straightened out, since Brassington had never been even accused of money laundering. But nothing was done and SOCU continued to act as a rogue unit of the Government to harass the PPP. Their second “operation” was to raid the NDC at Enmore to seize some used computers!! They still haven’t brought a successful case against ANYONE.
But have been proven to be so bent, they corrupted the seconded Brits!! Yet the King’s gonna keep them intact!!
…and Foreign Affairs
As your Eyewitness predicted, Carl Greenidge has been retained at the Foreign Affairs Ministry – to buttress the newbie, Dr Cummings.
Will Greenidge be paid by the British, since he’s their citizen, and Sittlington’s gone and his salary’s available?
