The Appeal Court ruling on the constitutionality of President David Granger’s unilateral appointment of Justice James Patterson as Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has been deferred after Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards asked that the parties make submissions on four specific areas of law before the decision is handed down.
The matter will be called again next Tuesday when the parties are expected to deliver their written submissions, as well as oral if necessary.
The appeal was filed by the People’s Progressive Party’s (PPP/C) Executive Secretary Zulifar Mustapha, following the decision by Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire’s who deemed that Patterson was fit for the post of GECOM Chairman.
Mustapha, through his team of lawyers, is appealing for the entire decision by the Chief Justice to be scrapped and for President David Granger to choose a Chairman from the 18 nominees which the Opposition Leader had proposed.
According to Attoreny-at-Law Anil Nandlall, who is leading the Opposition’s legal team, the Chief Justice erred in her decision as she failed to question Granger’s selection.
In a bried comment today, he said that the Court was aware that either side would go to the CCJ (Caribbean Court of Justice) if they feel aggrieved by the decision, “they want their ruling to cover what they consider to be all the relevant aspects”. The legal teams are expected to respond next week Tuesday.
