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March 27, 2017 Source

Former Chancellor of the Judiciary Keith Massiah

Former Chancellor of the Judiciary Keith Massiah has concurred with Justice Duke Pollard that the ruling in the third term case is flawed and that there is no need for a refferendum to effect the changes that were made to the Constitution to implement presidential term limit here.

Massiah SC in a Letter to the Editor contended that Act No. 17 of 2000 does not offend or infect either Article 1 or 9 of the Constitution, but speaks to the sovereignty of the people.

On February 23, the Court of Appeal by a 2-1 majority upheld the ruling of the High Court which stated that the Constitutional amendment, Act No. 17 of 2000, which limits the number of times a person can be elected as President is unconstitutional.

The ruling by the Court of Appeal has paved the way for a former President, even after having served two terms in office, to stand for elections on a list of representatives as the presidential candidate for an unlimited number of terms.

The Court of Appeal judges, Justice Carl Singh and Justice B.S. Roy voted to uphold the ruling of the High Court, while acting Chief Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards was the only dissenting voice.

Justice Singh in his ruling said the decision to limit presidential terms should have gone to the electorate by way of a referendum, and not be decided upon by the National Assembly.

However, Justice Cummings-Edwards did not agree with Justice Chang’s ruling, and argued that such a referendum would mean that the electorate would be granted the power to make amendments to the Constitution.

Former President,Bharrat Jagdeo

“I write in respectful concurrence with Justice Duke Pollard’s crystalline analysis of the issues bearing on the question of the presidential term limit. The matter is constitutionally important and seemingly will reach the Caribbean Court of Justice for final determination,” Massiah SC said.

He said of importance is Justice Pollard’s reference to, and use of Dr. Bennion’s classic ‘Statutory Interpretation’ as a clarifying agent.

Justice Pollard had quoted Francis Bennion, a leading exponent of constitutional interpretation in the international legal fraternity, who said that: “A statutory term is recognised by its associated words. The Latin maxim noscitur a sociis states this contextual principle, whereby a word or phrase is not to be construed as if it stood alone, but in the light of its surroundings.
While of general application and validity, the maxim has given rise to particular precepts such as the ejusdem generis principle and the rank principle.” (Francis Bennion, Statutory Interpretation, 4th Edition, at p. 1049)

And according to Massiah SC, it is the jurisprudence deriving from Bennion, particularly the bearing of associated words on statutory terms, that led Justice Pollard to the conclusion that articles 1 and 9 of the Constitution refer to “a unified political entity” and not to “constitutional entitlements of the people” as wrongly conceived by Chief Justice Chang and the “divergent majority” in the Court of Appeal.

In addition, the former attorney general and chancellor of the judiciary affirmed his support of Justice Pollard’s reasoning, noting that “What eventuates beyond all question is that Articles 1 and 9 (the alteration of which requires referenda in keeping with article 164) have not been touched by the impugned amending provision (Act 17 of 2000), which prescribed the two term presidential limit. If Justice Pollard and I are correct then questio cadit – the matter of a referendum is irrelevant.”

Meanwhile, Justice Pollard in an article published in the Guyana Chronicle on March 18, titled “Misinterpreted -Justice Pollard differs on third-term ruling”, said the validity or constitutionality does not depend on the favourable outcome of a referendum.

Just before the May 2015 General and Regional Elections, a resident of Georgetown, Cedric Richardson, who many believe was used by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo, who from all appearances is seeking a third term as president, challenged the amendments made to Article 90 of the Constitution that were enacted in 2000 following a bipartisan Constitutional Reform Process.

Professor Duke Pollard

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Basil Williams, has indicated that he will be appealing the decision at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ); however, attempts to serve the Notice of Application and Affidavit in Support of Application for leave to appeal to the CCJ to Richardson has proven futile.

In a statement last week by the AG chambers, Office Assistant Shaun Mearns visited Richardson’s known place of abode located at Lot 4, West Ruimveldt on March 17 but was told by a female that Richardson does not reside there.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

skeldon_man posted:

What do you expect from these 3 PNC niggroes(the judge included)? These niggroes thrive on dictatorship and bully.

The PPP created the rule. Now they hire a bird dog to look for holes in it so it can be broken. I think you are looking at the wrong flea bitten curs! Term limits are instruments of democracy. Open-ended tenure as what the PPP wants is the dictatorship. One wonders whose grave they are digging! Might be their own.

FM
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:

What do you expect from these 3 PNC niggroes(the judge included)? These niggroes thrive on dictatorship and bully.

The PPP created the rule. Now they hire a bird dog to look for holes in it so it can be broken. I think you are looking at the wrong flea bitten curs! Term limits are instruments of democracy. Open-ended tenure as what the PPP wants is the dictatorship. One wonders whose grave they are digging! Might be their own.

You condone dictatorship. I think you are a strong supporter of the alt right.

FM

Skimming through the report above, I got a brainwave that former Chancellor of the Judiciary Keith Massiah could be one of President Granger's personal choices for GECOM Chairman. Age should be no barrier. Old Sir Donald Jackson held that position in the early 1970s, as did old Sir Harold Bollers in the 1980s. But I have another candidate in mind, whose name I won't mention for now.

SIR HAROLD BOLLERS

SIR DONALD JACKSON in middle background. Sir David Rose in front, in case you're wondering.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
skeldon_man posted:
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:

What do you expect from these 3 PNC niggroes(the judge included)? These niggroes thrive on dictatorship and bully.

The PPP created the rule. Now they hire a bird dog to look for holes in it so it can be broken. I think you are looking at the wrong flea bitten curs! Term limits are instruments of democracy. Open-ended tenure as what the PPP wants is the dictatorship. One wonders whose grave they are digging! Might be their own.

You condone dictatorship. I think you are a strong supporter of the alt right.

You are daft. This is the PPP trying to undo an instrument of democracy, term limits. I am for term limits. I would suggest a president serve only one term. I am as left leaning as one can come without crossing over to Marxist dialectics. I believe in people power, representative democracy ie people selected ministered...all things Jagdeo disavowed because, as he noted, he was not going to injure PPP chances.

FM
Gilbakka posted:
Django posted:

"But I have another candidate in mind, whose name I won't mention for now."

Gill,

I have a hunch a Female and Indo.

Neither. A tall black man.

Django says he is only 5feet. 7inches. tall!!!

Bibi Haniffa
Bibi Haniffa posted:
Gilbakka posted:
Django posted:

"But I have another candidate in mind, whose name I won't mention for now."

Gill,

I have a hunch a Female and Indo.

Neither. A tall black man.

Django says he is only 5feet. 7inches. tall!!!

That's an average height of an Indo.

https://www.disabled-world.com...h/height-chart.shtml

Django
Gilbakka posted:
Django posted:

"But I have another candidate in mind, whose name I won't mention for now."

Gill,

I have a hunch a Female and Indo.

Neither. A tall black man.

Drakes

Reynolds

Holder

Got to be one out of the three above.

Django
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:

What do you expect from these 3 PNC niggroes(the judge included)? These niggroes thrive on dictatorship and bully.

The PPP created the rule. Now they hire a bird dog to look for holes in it so it can be broken. I think you are looking at the wrong flea bitten curs! Term limits are instruments of democracy. Open-ended tenure as what the PPP wants is the dictatorship. One wonders whose grave they are digging! Might be their own.

You condone dictatorship. I think you are a strong supporter of the alt right.

You are daft. This is the PPP trying to undo an instrument of democracy, term limits. I am for term limits. I would suggest a president serve only one term. I am as left leaning as one can come without crossing over to Marxist dialectics. I believe in people power, representative democracy ie people selected ministered...all things Jagdeo disavowed because, as he noted, he was not going to injure PPP chances.

You ever hear the saying when someone does something backwards? It goes like this: "You ah wan real buckman".
Did you ever blame the PNC for rigging and dictatorship? The PPP never rigged an election.

FM
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:

What do you expect from these 3 PNC niggroes(the judge included)? These niggroes thrive on dictatorship and bully.

The PPP created the rule. Now they hire a bird dog to look for holes in it so it can be broken. I think you are looking at the wrong flea bitten curs! Term limits are instruments of democracy. Open-ended tenure as what the PPP wants is the dictatorship. One wonders whose grave they are digging! Might be their own.

It's not a question about if term limit is necessary, it's a question about the need for a referendum.

The garbage what is called a Constitution in Guyana creates a political class where the politicians are supreme to the people.

They can do whatever they want including giving themselves raises at their own will without having any study to support it.  I know they have the right to vote for their own raise but this should be debated.

Guyana is one big monkey show. Look at the action of the AG in court and then you have the $605 million drug contract.  

 

FM
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:

What do you expect from these 3 PNC niggroes(the judge included)? These niggroes thrive on dictatorship and bully.

The PPP created the rule. Now they hire a bird dog to look for holes in it so it can be broken. I think you are looking at the wrong flea bitten curs! Term limits are instruments of democracy. Open-ended tenure as what the PPP wants is the dictatorship. One wonders whose grave they are digging! Might be their own.

You condone dictatorship. I think you are a strong supporter of the alt right.

You are daft. This is the PPP trying to undo an instrument of democracy, term limits. I am for term limits. I would suggest a president serve only one term. I am as left leaning as one can come without crossing over to Marxist dialectics. I believe in people power, representative democracy ie people selected ministered...all things Jagdeo disavowed because, as he noted, he was not going to injure PPP chances.

Question- Is people power the same as representative democracy as you seem to indicate here?

who selects the ministers in a representative democracy? The people, or the president or prime minister as rage case might be?

when did Jagdeo disavow reprentative democracy, people power?

if your argument is that term limit is one of the tenants of democracy, then are the UK, Trinidad, India, Barbados, Jamaica, many other countries with no term limit not democratic?

if you hold that you believe in people power,( I take this to mean the supremacy of the people) then is not term limit an infringement of people power, a contradiction ? Or the people power ie. the ultimate wisdom of the people apply only for the length of the term?

Z
Zed posted:
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:
D2 posted:
skeldon_man posted:

What do you expect from these 3 PNC niggroes(the judge included)? These niggroes thrive on dictatorship and bully.

The PPP created the rule. Now they hire a bird dog to look for holes in it so it can be broken. I think you are looking at the wrong flea bitten curs! Term limits are instruments of democracy. Open-ended tenure as what the PPP wants is the dictatorship. One wonders whose grave they are digging! Might be their own.

You condone dictatorship. I think you are a strong supporter of the alt right.

You are daft. This is the PPP trying to undo an instrument of democracy, term limits. I am for term limits. I would suggest a president serve only one term. I am as left leaning as one can come without crossing over to Marxist dialectics. I believe in people power, representative democracy ie people selected ministered...all things Jagdeo disavowed because, as he noted, he was not going to injure PPP chances.

Question- Is people power the same as representative democracy as you seem to indicate here?

who selects the ministers in a representative democracy? The people, or the president or prime minister as rage case might be?

when did Jagdeo disavow reprentative democracy, people power?

if your argument is that term limit is one of the tenants of democracy, then are the UK, Trinidad, India, Barbados, Jamaica, many other countries with no term limit not democratic?

if you hold that you believe in people power,( I take this to mean the supremacy of the people) then is not term limit an infringement of people power, a contradiction ? Or the people power ie. the ultimate wisdom of the people apply only for the length of the term?

Representative democracy is the closest one can get to direct democracy. Here an individual stands for office on his own merit and the people directly vote for him/her.  There are lots that could be done to maximize the people's control of who is in office. Presently, we have a president selected by party acolytes ( in the case of the PPP, 15 folks) who is merely ratified by the electorate. Ministers are party ideologues presented in a closed list and who then serves at the discretion of the president. No "people" input here.

Term limits facilitate squatting in office by a "popular" ideologue. It helps in refreshing the system. It is particularly warranted in a democracy as ours where we essentially voting by race for race-based parties. The same person in office means more of his friends and family gets into office and soon there is an entrenched family and friends government as what happened with the last incarnation of the PPP. The absence of term limits does not mean the absence of democracy. It means a deficit of democracy... a weaker implementation of the ideal.

Jagdeo said, with respect to constitutional changes aiming at devolution; that would adversely affect the PPP and he is not willing to entertain any such that would weaken the PPP's ability to secure office. 

 

 

FM

Whether there is term limit or not, the fundamental issue is the eligibility of a person to compete for the position, specifically in this instance, that of president in Guyana.

It is clear that a person can serve for two consecutive terms as president.

However, it will be of interest to indeed determine unquestionably whether a person who has served the two consecutive terms can return at a later date to again compete for the position of president.

FM
skeldon_man posted:

 

You ever hear the saying when someone does something backwards? It goes like this: "You ah wan real buckman".
Did you ever blame the PNC for rigging and dictatorship? The PPP never rigged an election.

Maybe so and it is good you recite that obviously odious stereotype. One would expect sensible people like you not to entertain such ideas. This is especially so if you do reflect on the matter that Indias Sudras from where 90 percent of indentured were sourced were considered to be decidedly dull by their countrymen. You proved them wrong by not account by showing some smarts! Last question irrelevant.  Last statement debatable.

FM
cain posted:

I would say PPP tried to rig the last election but they didnt tief enough votes and that is why they were surprised when they the PPP LOST.

Fake Sops,Anil take um and run to the court.

Anyone remember how his face was sad.

Django
Last edited by Django
Django posted:
cain posted:

I would say PPP tried to rig the last election but they didnt tief enough votes and that is why they were surprised when they the PPP LOST.

Fake Sops,Anil take um and run to the court.

Anyone remember how his face was sad.

You talking about Spermgate dude here correct? Yehhh I remember that..priceless.

cain

Burnham Boy Keith Massiah is talking rubbish. The courts have already ruled, his opinion is like Dog Shyte. Looks the the PNC might not be able to file their case at the Caribbean Court of Justice.

Jagdeo will have the last laugh.

I am very excited with the Prospect of Jagdeo winning in 2020. Afro Guyanese are now lining up to meet with him. Dem want back their Godfather Jaggy.

Jackass Grainjaw gave them black tea and stale bread and rubbed it in with heavy taxation and good for nothing pay increases. Dem Blacks are now balling out that the PNC is squeezing them.

FM
Last edited by Former Member
yuji22 posted: I am very excited with the Prospect of Jagdeo winning in 2020.

Dear Comrade yuji22, thank you for your diehard support for our Party Leader Jagdeo in 2020 general elections. We need some tangible commitment from you, comrade, to optimize our campaign's effectiveness. Could you send us 10 dozen bullhorns as well as 250,000 flyers, 15000 posters and 150,000 buttons marked BHARRAT JAGDEO FOR PRESIDENT with his most handsome portrait? Our reliable shipper Larrparkan will transport the container free. 

FM
Last edited by Former Member

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