Forde Denounces PPP/C Govt’s Contempt of Court, Assault on Democracy

Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde has condemned the actions of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government, describing its defiance of a court order as a direct assault on trade unions, the judiciary, and the fundamental rights of Guyana’s workers. Forde’s remarks followed the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) initiating contempt proceedings against senior PPP/C officials.

The Guyana Court of Appeal issued a significant ruling on January 21, 2025, rejecting the government’s application to stay an earlier High Court decision that mandated the continuation of union dues deductions for the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU). This ruling upheld the High Court’s April 17, 2024, decision, which had declared the government’s cessation of dues deductions as arbitrary, unlawful, and unconstitutional

Forde argued that the government’s refusal to remit lawfully deducted union dues to the GTU, as directed by the courts, represents a dangerous precedent that undermines the rule of law in Guyana. “This is not an isolated labour dispute; it is a calculated assault by the Executive on the judiciary’s authority and the fundamental rights of Guyana’s workers,” said Forde.

He accused the PPP/C of using state power to suppress trade unions and dismantle the collective strength of educators and workers who have long fought for better wages and safer working conditions. Forde pointed out that, rather than engaging in constructive dialogue with unions, the government has chosen to ignore the court’s directive, which he described as a brazen act of contempt.

“This is not merely a bureaucratic oversight or administrative error. It is a deliberate political maneuver, a brazen act of contempt that exposes the PPP/C’s disdain for judicial rulings and its hostility toward organised labour,” Forde added.

Forde quoted renowned British jurist Lord Denning, stressing that the law is “not a mere set of rules to be obeyed only when convenient; it is the foundation of a just society, binding all, from the highest office to the humblest citizen.” By failing to comply with a lawful court order, Forde argued, the PPP/C is threatening the very foundation of justice in the country.

He went further to describe the withholding of union dues as a direct attack on the autonomy of trade unions, which have historically played a crucial role in advocating for the rights of workers. “For decades, the GTU and GTUC have been bulwarks of Guyana’s labour movement, securing better wages, safer workplaces, and dignity for teachers and workers who have long been undervalued,” said Forde. He warned that by targeting the GTU and GTUC, the government is undermining workers’ rights across the country.

Forde also highlighted the broader implications of the PPP/C’s actions. “When a government flouts court orders with impunity, it sets a perilous precedent that erodes public trust in institutions and emboldens lawlessness,” he said, referencing a famous warning by Justice Louis Brandeis: “If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law; it invites every man to become a law unto himself; it invites anarchy.”

The Senior Counsel emphasised that this attack on the rule of law extends beyond the current labour dispute. If the government continues to defy judicial rulings, it could have catastrophic consequences for the country’s electoral system, particularly in the lead-up to Guyana’s General and Regional Elections on September 1, 2025.

“The judiciary is the ultimate arbiter of electoral disputes, ensuring that the will of the people is respected. Should the PPP/C continue to treat court rulings as mere suggestions, it risks undermining the legitimacy of the electoral process itself,” Forde cautioned.

Forde further warned that continued defiance of the law could lead to a constitutional crisis. “Disputed ballots, voter suppression claims, or challenges to electoral procedures could be met with the same defiance, plunging Guyana into a constitutional crisis. Public confidence in democratic institutions would erode, fostering division, unrest, and a dangerous slide toward autocracy,” he said.

The contempt proceedings launched by the GTU and GTUC, Forde argued, are not merely legal maneuvers but acts of principled resistance against an overreaching executive. He expressed unwavering support for the unions and urged all Guyanese to stand firm against what he described as a dangerous slide into authoritarianism.

As a Senior Counsel, Forde called on all citizens, regardless of political affiliation, to recognise the gravity of the moment. “We must demand accountability, uphold the rule of law, and safeguard our democratic institutions from a government that governs not by the consent of the people but by the arrogance of power,” he stated.

Forde concluded his statement by emphasising that the PPP/C must be reminded that its authority is not absolute but contingent upon adherence to the laws of the land. “The courts have spoken. The government has defied. Now, justice must prevail—or we risk losing the very foundations of our democracy,” he said.

This powerful statement by Roysdale Forde S.C. shines a light on the growing concerns over the rule of law in Guyana and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of holding the government accountable for its actions.