It is the view of the Ms. Mehalai McAlmont and the other applicants, in the court case brought against the members of the Committee of Management (CoM), Guyana Public Service Credit Union Ltd (GPSCCUL), that the Ministry of Labour through its Department of Cooperatives is providing succor to the CoM who is actively pursuing an agenda of entrenching themselves in that body, and benefitting to the detriment of the vast majority of public servants who are members.
In a statement issued over the weekend, the applicants, who last year petitioned the court to declare members of the CoM unlawfully failed to comply with the principal orders made by Justice Navindra Singh on September 30, 2022, said they have observed the shenanigans being orchestrated by the CoM, with tactical support coming from Chief Cooperative Development Officer (CCDO) to prevent the implementation of Justice Singh’s ruling of July 25, 2023.
To this end, Ms. Mehalai McAlmont and the other applicants have advised:
They “approached the court in July of 2022 via Court Action No. 2022-HC-DEM-CIV-FDA-797, requesting an order that the CoM hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) under certain conditions. On September 30, 2022, the Hon. Justice Singh agreed with the applicants and ordered that the SGM be held no later than October 24, 2022, under certain specific conditions, including the utilizing the same mechanism used to conduct the GPSCCU’s 2021 AGM.
“The CoM did not comply with the September 30th ruling of the Judge, resulting in contempt proceedings.
“On July 25, 2023, more than nine months after the Hon. Justice Singh made his first orders, the court sat to hear the contempt motion. Stating that none of his orders were carried out by the CoM the judge ordered that Gillian Pollard; Ruth Howard, and Karen Vansluytman-Corbin be removed from their position and not be allowed to conduct any business on behalf of the Credit Union. At that sitting, none of the three Respondents appeared in Court and in an effort to give effect to the September 30, 2022, orders, the judge further ordered that Patrick Mentore, Rajdai Jaggarnath, and Trevor Benn be appointed to manage the affairs of the Credit Union.
“At a meeting held [Friday, August 11] in the boardroom of the Ministry of Labour, the CCDO sought to alter the Judge’s order by removing certain members appointed by the court from performing executive functions. It is our understanding that the CCDO further instructed the CoM to cancel all arrangements for upholding of the court order SGM and bring an end to the audit recently instituted by the court appointed members of the CoM.”
Expressing disappointment with the Ministry’s decision, made public via press release, the applicants noted said decision constitutes defiance of the July 25, 2023 court order, and is an attempt to thwart the will of the general membership of the GPSCCU.
According to them, “the Department of Cooperatives aided by the Guyana Credit Union League have taken sides with the CoM, in an apparent move to thwart the order of the court and the express wishes of over two thousand (2000) members of the Credit Union who signed the petition that led to the court action.
“We see this act as a violation of the September 30, 2022, Orders of Court which remains valid and in effect, and a serious attempt to evade complying with the wishes of the members as contained in a court-validated petition.
“We believe that the Ministry of Labour through its Department of Cooperatives is providing succor to the Committee of Management who is actively pursuing an agenda of entrenching themselves in that body, and benefitting to the detriment of the vast majority of public servants who are members.
“Furthermore, we feel that the Department of Cooperatives has shown by its actions and utterances that it cannot be trusted to be an impartial arbiter, and ought not to be involved in a matter that is engaging the court’s attention.
The aforesaid view, the applicants said, is supported by the instructions given by the CCDO to the CoM to revoke the Notice of the Special General Meeting which Mr. Mentore as acting Chair caused to be legally published in the media.
“Additionally, we were told that instructions were passed to retrieve all financial documents which are being audited in an effort to derail the audit that was ordered by the court-appointed persons. We are deeply saddened that the membership of the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union will continue to suffer if this issue is not quickly resolved.”
The applicants are calling for good sense and justice prevail and are demanding the ministry complies fully with Justice Singh’s orders handed down on July 25, 2023.
The applicants are being represented by Roysdale Forde S.C who last March filed Contempt of Court proceedings against the CoM of the GPSCCU.
