Certiorari summons withdrawn
FORMER Attorney General, Mr. Doodnauth Singh, S.C., who had approached the High Court for his gratuity which was held up by the Treasury and the Ministry of Finance, was paid on Wednesday.

As a consequence, his lawyers, Messrs Edward Luckhoo, S.C. and Neil Boston, disclosed yesterday that they have withdrawn the summons

Some days ago, Acting Chief Justice Mr. Ian Chang ordered that an order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari be issued directed to the Secretary to the Treasury and the Accountant General of the Ministry of Finance, quashing their decision contained in a letter dated September 7, 2009, requiring the applicant to submit his income tax Liability Statement before payment can be made to the applicant of his gratuity, on the ground that the decision was made without lawful authority or jurisdiction and was in breach of the Pensions (President, Parliamentary and Special Officers ) Act, Chapter 27:03 and Article 217 of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, and was unreasonable , ultra vires, void and of no legal effect, unless cause is shown to the Court why the said Order or Rule Nisi of Certiorari should not be made absolute.

The Chief Justice had further ordered that an Order or Rule Nisi of Mandamus be issued directed to the Minister of Finance, the Secretary to the Treasury and the Accountant General of Guyana to forthwith make payment to the Applicant of his Gratuity in the sum of $14, 650, 750 out of the Consolidated Fund pursuant to the Pensions (President, Parliamentary and Special Officers) Act Chapter 27:03, and Article 217 of the Constitution of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, unless cause is shown why the said Order of Rule Nisi of Mandamus should not be made absolute, and it is further ordered that the matter do stand adjourned to the 1st October, 2009 at 10.00 a.m.

The Chief Justice’s Order was carried out on Wednesday.
The judge’s Order was taken after reading a motion on the part of Mr. Doodnauth Singh, the applicant, and the affidavit of Doodnauth Singh sworn on the 17th of September 2009. The judge had also heard Attorneys at law Mr. Edward Luckhoo, S.C. and Mr. Neil Boston who appeared for the Applicant.