Prime Minister with responsibility for the state media on Thursday said he is distancing himself ”from perceived scurrilous attacks in the Chronicle newspapers against the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary who will, less than a month from now, demit his substantive office as Chief Justice at the end of a distinguished career.” Nagamootoo’s comments come against the background of unwarranted criticisms by attorney-at-law, Ralph Ramkarran against this newspaper’s reportage on recent court decisions by Chancellor, Carl Singh and other matter related to him demitting office.
The Guyana Chronicle has already said in an editorial on Wednesday that “from our vantage point, these stories were covered, because in addition to the title Justice Singh holds and his influence on the judiciary, they were considered newsworthy.” The Guyana Chronicle also maintains that there has been no campaign to discredit Justice Singh, as a person or his office, or to be contemptuous of the court. Neither has our coverage relating to him and his service been one of a government-directed policy to discredit this public servant.
Nagamootoo who is performing duties as President went on to say that his Government has been leading the way in ensuring the independence of both the legislature and the judiciary, and making them financially and administratively autonomous.
“In as much as any citizen, or the government for that matter, may criticise decisions emanating from our courts which, after all, are not cloistered halls immune from public scrutiny, our Government does not encourage attacks on the legislature and judiciary. It is not Government’s policy or decision to besmirch the character of any judicial officer. Our Government would not condone attempts, however well-meaning or veiled, to impugn the integrity of judicial officers.”
Attorney General, Basil Williams who has also been accused of attacking Justice Singh on Wednesday dismissed the allegations, noting that the judiciary was “emasculated” by the former People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) Administration.
Speaking at a news conference Williams said the criticisms made against him and the APNU+AFC Administration have no merit as it relates to the alleged interference in the Judiciary. He believes that the critics are confusing the concerns of letter-writers and others with that of the Attorney General and the Government.
“For my part, I don’t have to do anything; the acting Chancellor himself established a precedent in the case of the acting Chief Justice Ian Chang last year,” he said, adding that it was Justice Singh who advised him that the former acting Chief Justice needed to proceed on pre-retirement leave and then demit office upon attaining age 65.
“The acting Chancellor Carl Singh gave me the particulars for Mr Chang… that is how we were able to determine [his pre-retirement] because of the advice given by the acting Chancellor Carl Singh… The acting Chancellor who is Chairman of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) supplied me with all that information, so it would be strange to me that having done that in the case of acting Chief Justice Chang, in his case that it would be different,” the Attorney General said.
He said by the establishment of the precedent, the Chancellor would have to proceed on pre-retirement leave and then on his birthday, which is February 23, he would have to demit office as was the case with the former Chief Justice.
Rule of law
Meanwhile, Nagamootoo said since the APNU+AFC Coalition Government assumed office some 20 months ago, Guyana has enjoyed an unenviable image of a peaceful country, determined to uphold the Rule of Law, restore clean and accountable governance, and to distance our administration from both the pervasive corruption and executive interference that had characterized the not-so-distant past.
“We must all bask in reflected pride and glory that in our democratic Guyana, we enjoy an open, multi-party parliamentary system. We have a free and plural press, where journalists are not persecuted and media are not suppressed. But we demand the right to fair comments, the right of reply and constructive and contemporaneous criticisms, however robust.”
He said it is good to know also that Guyana has no political prisoners in jails and though “we have the death penalty in our Statutes, there have been no judicial executions over many years. We have achieved all these positive attributes due to the fact that there is open and free political space in which the separation of powers is very much evident.”
“That is why, as Prime Minister with responsibility for the state media, I want to say this: while I would not interfere with editorial discretion, I disassociate myself from perceived scurrilous attacks in the Chronicle Newspapers against the acting Chancellor of the Judiciary who will, less than a month from now, demit his substantive office as Chief Justice at the end of a distinguished career.” “I say this because I feel that the national security architecture is better protected with an independent and strong judiciary, and when the branches function independently but in a way that cumulatively (a) enunciate policies and administer them; (b) make laws and approve public spending; and (c) protect constitutional rights and dispense justice that would enable them to ensure law and order, public safety, good governance and the rule of law,” the prime minister continued.
He said the benefits of working together are manifestly reflected in the satisfactory performance of the Guyana Police Force over these past 20 months, for which I congratulate officers and ranks for responding to the challenges that we faced in the security sector with courage, resolve and purpose.
“Effective law enforcement is intertwined with the policies adumbrated by the Executive, the laws that are made, unmade or reformed in the Legislature and the administration of justice by the Judiciary. It is within this wider context of our lawful and impregnable system of inter-action and cooperation that you have shattered the predictions of the messiahs of gloom and doom, who often boast of a “crime spree” and “crime spiraling out of control” in Guyana.”