ATTORNEY-GENERAL and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, has announced his chambers’ intention to enforce the payment of costs owed by the Opposition as a result of multiple unsuccessful court cases.

The decision comes after Justice Navindra Singh of the Demerara High Court dismissed a case challenging passage of the Natural Resource Fund (NRF) Bill. This case is one of many matters that the Opposition had filed but eventually lost.

The applicants, Opposition Chief Whip Christopher Jones and trade unionist Norris Witter were each ordered to pay $1,250,000 in court costs on or before July 19, 2023.

Speaking with reporters on Monday following the court’s ruling, Nandlall expressed his determination to ensure that all of the outstanding cost orders are duly enforced.

He stated: “We will now have to enforce these cost orders. I now have a pile of them because it’s a series of cases that have been filed by the Opposition.”

Nandlall further stressed that when the court imposes costs as a consequence of the Opposition filing “frivolous and vexatious” matters, they must be paid.

In January 2023, eight opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) were ordered to pay 350,000 each to the State after losing a court case over their suspension. To date, the MPs have not paid any monies, the AG pointed out.

Some of the other failed court cases span from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) elections petition ruling to the most recent judgment delivered by Justice Singh.

Last month, Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George dismissed two court challenges filed by the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R)/A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) aimed at blocking the upcoming Local Government Elections.

The Opposition’s chief scrutineer Carol Smith-Joseph has been ordered to pay GECOM costs amounting to $250,000 on or before June 30, 2023.
Nandlall indicated that his staff has already begun the process of accumulating the necessary information to initiate the enforcement proceedings.

Elaborating on the available options to enforce the judgments, the Attorney General mentioned several approaches.

“The process can seize their personal assets. You can go after their movable and immovable assets; you can go to imprison them,” Nandlall explained.

He expressed confidence in establishing that the individuals in question possess the means to pay the outstanding amounts.

Additionally, Nandlall suggested the possibility of garnishing their monthly earnings through their employers as another means of collecting the owed sums.

Nandlall revealed that his office had previously sent letters of demand to the Opposition members who are now required to pay the costs.

With the mounting number of cost orders against them, the Attorney General signalled his intention to explore these enforcement options swiftly.