Attorney General Basil Williams has sent a legal letter to the Guyana Times threatening to sue for libel on its report about his altercation with Justice Holder, which it reported under the headline “Judge walks off after threats from AG Williams”. The claimed libellous portion of the report according to the legal letter was:
“…as the cross examination was coming to end, a frustrated Williams accused the Judge of not accurately recording the evidence, and Justice Holder took umbrage (at) the accusation…” and “…an angry Williams, in a loud tone of voice, repeated the accusation and the Judge again admonished him about the accusation and about his tone of voice…but Williams then blurted out loudly, “the last Magistrate who did that to me was later found dead”.”
Not so incidentally, AG Williams had initially threatened to sue all the newspapers that had carried the report. But it appears that he chose not to sue the Muckraker which had headlined even more bluntly: “AG threatens High Court Judge” and reported, “The Judge took umbrage to the accusation. Williams then blurted out loudly, “The last Magistrate who did that to me was later found dead.” The Judge immediately walked off the bench, without adjourning the matter.”
But now that Justice Holder has issued a letter (sent to the heads of the Judiciary), we have an opportunity to compare his account from the Guyana Times and Williams’:
“I then told Mr Williams that I took umbrage to his tone and what he was insinuating, which was in effect, that the Court was being selective in recording the evidence. Mr Williams, in a truculent manner, while standing in the well of the court, responded by saying that the last person who told him what he should not say was a magistrate AND he is now dead.” He further said that “all morning Mr Nandlall disrespecting you, and you have not done anything about it”. …This was followed by a most egregious statement by Mr Williams, that “I could say what I want to say and when I want to say it, I have always been like that.” Immediately after hearing these words, I rose from the Bench and went into my Chambers.”
Williams, however, claimed at a press conference what he actually said was, “Incidentally, that Magistrate is dead now, and I moved on; and the Judge and I continued addressing issues.”
The law of negligence has a concept called “Res ipsa loquitur” – which means “the thing speaks for itself”. Your Eyewitness believes to anyone reading the above accounts of the infamous incident, “the threat speaks for itself”.
Don’t you, Dear Reader?
…protest proper?
Your Eyewitness has to hand it to the Guyanese people for suddenly discovering they’ve got the right to protest – PEACEFULLY – against actions of Governments at whatever level they don’t agree with. For too long the ethos of protests had been defined by the PNC that started out fighting a rearguard action before the 1992 results were officially announced! While Desmond Hoyte stood down the eruption by fading strongman Hamilton Green then; unfortunately, he completely lost it a decade later with his “slow fyaah, mo fyaah” protests segueing from the 1997 elections into the millennium.
We saw even heads of the Police and the Army – now full-fledged members of the PNC Govt – disobeying the protocols of peaceful protests – and having the forces of law and order use pellets. The dénouement was when PNC politicians egged on protesters at Linden to illegally set fire to and block a bridge and Police tragically shot four Lindeners.
…Wales taking centre stage?
Of all the protests going on, the one against the parking meters seems to’ve gained the most traction. Some say it’s because the protesters came from all races and classes.
Well, the Wales protesters are from all races and the working class. So, now we know what makes protests successful!!
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