GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GAWL) has strongly condemned criticisms of Magistrate Leron Daly for dismissing a misconduct case in public office against former Finance Minister Winston Jordan.
This stems from comments made by Attorney General Anil Nandlall’s statement that the ruling was contrary to an unchallenged High Court decision in an almost identical matter.
“GAWL takes this opportunity to remind members of the public that the members of the Judiciary should be allowed to perform their functions independently. Consequently, any disparaging remarks or attacks, whether personal or otherwise, may expose Judicial officers and their offices to ridicule. Further, the statements published and communicated through various media platforms widen the scope of the attention of the negative comments,” the association said.
According to a report published by Demerara Waves online news, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Chambers did not say if the Lower Court’s decision would be appealed, and there was no time frame when that might be forthcoming. However, the article quoted Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo saying the decision would be appealed.
“It seems as though they are two sets of criteria in which you judge people, and that shouldn’t be,” he said.
Jagdeo also reiterated the Government’s position that as a result of the decision, Jordan “walks free after vesting title of a State asset valued at over US $40 million to a private company for which the State received a mere US $100,000.
Mr. Nandlall said that, worse yet, that was done months after the Government of which he was a part had already lost the March 2, 2020, General and Regional Elections elections but remained in Government for five months.
In a statement, the Attorney General said Magistrate Daly erred by not accounting for then Chief Justice Roxane George’s decision that a government minister is a public officer for the charge of misconduct in public office in a previous case against then Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh. Mr. Nandlall noted that that ruling was handed down on November 18, 2020, and was never appealed.
In commenting on the matter, GAWL urged Guyanese to respect the Judiciary and all other professionals functioning in their duty to maintain the rule of law.
“The GAWL urges all persons to be prudent and respectful to the judiciary and all other professionals who are functioning in the course of duty,” GAWL said.
Nandlall’s comments were also reiterated on his weekly Facebook show “Issues In The News,” as well as posts of his statement and the Chief Justice’s decision. The association said it “reiterates and unreservedly denounces these attacks and asks that persons cease peddling, broadcasting, transmitting or disseminating such information that may lower public confidence in Judicial officers and the Judiciary. While there is a right to free speech, these expressions must be within the parameters of the law and their contextual implications.
The Women Lawyers’ Association’s condemnation of the Attorney General came one day after Canada-based Guyanese lawyer Selwyn Pieters complained to the Registrar of the Court of Appeal and the High Court that members of the Judiciary faced attacks by the Attorney General and were subjected to mobbing and cyberbullying.
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