Dear Editor,
ON October 26, 2018 at a sitting of the “so-called” Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the operations of the Georgetown City Council, Chairman of the CoI, retired Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana, Cecil Kennard, shouted “Shut Up” to Mrs. Patricia Chase-Green, the elected Mayor of Georgetown. Mr. Kennard’s outburst made sensational headlines. Several obliviously ignorant critics of the mayor rushed to social media to glorify this contemptuous eruption.

How dare this man speak to the mayor of our capital city, a woman, in this insolent manner? And how dare the leaders of our country condone such appalling behaviour? Justice Kennard’s outburst was sexist, chauvinistic and repulsive. Nothing about his disgraceful conduct should be glorified. In fact it should be denounced. CGID, therefore, condemns these comments in the strongest terms. We question whether Mr. Kennard can speak to the females in his household in this manner? If so, let him take his appalling chauvinism there!

The day prior to this disgusting outburst, Mr. Kennard, made his antipathy for the mayor known. With alarming disdain, he asked the Chief Constable of the City Constabulary, Mr. Andrew Foo, why is it necessary for the mayor to be assigned eight security guards: “Is she President Granger, he contemptuously questioned? I have never seen the security arrangements of a duly elected public official so recklessly challenged in public.
Mr. Kennard, an octogenarian, seems out of touch, uninformed and intemperate. The important question is: is the mayor entitled to protection? The answer is YES! Moreover, a contingent of eight security guards is standard for a protected person. There are three shifts per day. Usually, two guards are assigned to the protectee’s residence per shift, plus a driver and a principle protective officer who accompanies the protectee. What is the objection to this basic security detail? But, is the mayor’s security within Mr. Kennard’s remit? Impossible! Furthermore, if the mayor made managerial mistakes during her tenure, that is a question for the citizens of Georgetown to consider in the upcoming local government elections on November 12, 2018.

Moreover, why is Mr. Kennard chairing a commission of inquiry? He has disqualified himself from public office. In 1997, Justice Kennard allegedly secretly swore in Mrs. Janet Jagan as President of Guyana. He then stood and watched, laughing, as Mrs. Jagan threw away an order by then Chief Justice Desiree Bernard, prohibiting him from administering her (Mrs Jagan) the oath of the presidency. He also stood laughing as Mrs. Jagan’s security guards assaulted the chief marshall of the Supreme Court, as he served the order of the chief justice. Subsequently, Mr. Kennard told Mrs. Jagan “That was good” as he giggled.
Mr. Kennard’s lawless conduct was not only a grave violation of the constitution and to the rule of law, he subverted the democracy and brought dishonour to the judiciary. In any normal functioning democracy, Justice Kennard would have been impeached and removed from the bench. CGID, therefore, believes that Mr. Kennard lacks the integrity and credibility to conduct an inquiry into accountability at City Hall. His selection further begs the question as to the lack of judgement of the person who selected Justice Kennard for this role!

CGID, therefore, calls on Mr. Mortimer Mingo, Chairman of the Local Government Commission, to explain why someone who cannot command the respect and confidence of the people was selected for such an important task?

Rickford Burke
President
Caribbean Guyana Institute for Democracy (CGID)