While the Ramps Logistics decision is being hailed, in some quarters, as a reflection of an unbiased justice system in Guyana, one only has to peruse the pages of the newspaper dated during the time of any PPP administration to note that justice in Guyana is not necessarily blind, many citizens believe that Ramps Logistics was in fact, lucky. There is a persistent fear in some quarters that magistrates in Guyana can often be influenced to support the government position; in fact, many believe that the Ramps Logistics decision could have gone another way had the case had been heard by a government pleasing justice.
The Ramps case is surely about more than business ownership, most right thinking Guyanese immediately recognize that the Ramps company was targeted for destruction, notwithstanding it’s considerable investment and the more than 100 workers they currently employ. There is surely a backstory involving the PSFOGG–private sector friends of the Guyana government and one day we will learn more.
Notwithstanding the recent court decision, the Ramps case should drive cold fear into the hearts of foreign investors for having to seek counsel and petition the courts to end blatant abuse is a tiresome and expensive undertaking which is fraught with risk. Even today, many local business owners in Guyana who are not identified to be supporters of the PPP government have much worse stories to share about how the tactics of government agency processing delays, shipment delays, foot dragging and alleged state sponsored undermining, resulted in losses of millions of dollars, making their businesses uncompetitive and therefore not viable.
It is alleged that because of these types of embarrassing losses in the courtroom, that the PPP government allegedly continues to try to influence decisions from the judiciary by relegating the Chief Justice and Chancellor positions to indefinite ‘acting’ roles and by the government’s recent announcement of plans to expand the number of judges in the court of appeals. Currently, the law provides for not less than two and not more than five judges for Guyana’s Court of Appeal; but the Attorney General (AG) said that government hopes to have that increased from not less than five to not more than nine. Under the guise of a quest for efficiency, the plan seems to be confirmation of more judges sympathetic to the PPP government so as to pervert the course of justice. This is the PPP way. Ramps Logistics needs to pay its taxes and engage in good corporate citizenship in Guyana.
