Former Georgetown Mayor Pt. Ubraj Narine has challenged the apparent inconsistency in the administration of justice in Guyana, questioning why 79-year-old political activist Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya was remanded to prison while other serious road-accident cases involving individuals connected to prominent public figures have followed different legal paths.
In a strongly worded statement issued Thursday, November 12, Narine warned that public confidence in the justice system will continue to erode if citizens believe that political connections determine how swiftly and firmly the law is applied.
The former Mayor’s intervention follows Ramayya’s appearance before the Albion Magistrate’s Court on November 10, where he was charged with causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the August 8 fatal accident at Nigg Public Road, which claimed the life of Ishwarnauth Bisram.
Ramayya pleaded not guilty. Bail was refused, and he was remanded to prison until December 4.
Narine did not dispute the seriousness of the charge or the family’s right to justice. Instead, he questioned whether the same urgency and prosecutorial standards have been applied in other cases involving people with connections to those in power.
“I am not suggesting that Dr. Ramayya should be above the law. The death of Ishwarnauth Bisram is a tragedy, and his family deserves justice. Anyone charged with an offence must answer to the law. However, the question that must be asked is whether justice is being administered consistently, transparently and without regard to political connections.”
That question strikes at the heart of the public’s confidence in the justice system: whether ordinary citizens and politically connected individuals are held to the same standards of accountability.
The cases cited by Narine raise uncomfortable questions about the pace and outcomes of investigations involving individuals connected to senior Government officials.
In September 2024, Marshall Allicock, publicly identified as the son of Home Affairs Minister Oneidge Walrond, was involved in a collision along the La Bonne Intention Railway Embankment that resulted in the death of 60-year-old Salima Heeralal.
By November 21, 2024, police were still awaiting legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions, almost two months after the fatal collision. Police had confirmed that Allicock was placed on cash bail while the file was being reviewed.
The case raises questions about the length of time taken to reach prosecutorial decisions in fatal accidents, particularly when compared with the swift charging and remand of Ramayya.
Narine also pointed to the February 2014 collision involving Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh, whose vehicle collided with a taxi at Garnett and Delph Streets, Campbellville, injuring driver Jageshwar Hira and passenger Parbattie Shivcharan.
The injured parties reportedly alleged that Singh left the scene without assisting them. The Attorney General subsequently stated that Singh had gone for medical attention and denied that he was intoxicated. Police forwarded the file to the DPP, and subsequent reporting disclosed that compensation arrangements were reached with the injured parties, including a non-disclosure agreement.
Another prominent case was the death of national cyclist Jude Bentley in February 2020, following a collision involving former Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff Gary Best.
Best was charged with causing death by dangerous driving but was subsequently freed after the magistrate upheld a no-case submission. His separate driving-under-the-influence charge was also dismissed in February 2021 after the court found insufficient evidence concerning the reliability and approval of the breathalyser instrument.
More recently, Police Corporal Yonelle Cumberbatch was charged after 15-year-old Navindra Mahes was struck and killed on Success Public Road on October 30, 2025. She was granted $500,000 bail.
These cases do not establish that any individual received improper treatment, nor do their different outcomes prove political interference. However, they underscore why the public is entitled to demand clear explanations about investigative delays, charging decisions and bail considerations.
The question is not whether Ramayya should face the law. He must. The question is whether the same determination to investigate, prosecute and secure accountability is demonstrated in every case, regardless of the accused person’s political or official connections.
Narine’s concerns go beyond the handling of individual road accidents. He invoked Article 122A(1) of the Constitution of Guyana, which guarantees the independence of the courts and requires those exercising judicial functions to remain free from political, executive or other forms of direction and control.
He warned that these constitutional protections would mean little if citizens came to believe that political affiliation or criticism of the Government could influence their treatment before the courts.
“Our justice system must never become an instrument of political persecution. The courts must remain independent, magistrates and judges must be free from political influence, and every citizen, regardless of political affiliation, wealth or public office, must enjoy equal protection under the law.”
Narine also insisted that Ramayya’s age, health and personal circumstances must receive proper consideration under the law, alongside the seriousness of the charge and any legitimate concerns about his attendance at future hearings.
He said the questions surrounding Ramayya’s political activism and the timing of his treatment by the justice system should not simply be dismissed. They must be addressed through transparency and due process.
The former Mayor’s intervention places renewed attention on the responsibility of the police, prosecutors and judicial authorities to demonstrate that justice is administered without fear, favour or political considerations.
He concluded by warning against allowing political divisions to undermine the country’s institutions and the fundamental right of every citizen to equal treatment before the law.
“Dr. Veerasammy Ramayya deserves a fair hearing. The family of Ishwarnauth Bisram deserves justice. The families of every person who has lost a loved one in a road accident deserve answers.”
Narine’s position is that accountability must not be selective and that neither Government officials nor their relatives should enjoy preferential treatment, just as political critics must not face harsher treatment because of their opposition to those in power.
“Guyana deserves an independent judiciary, accountable leadership and a justice system that treats every citizen equally, regardless of political affiliation or status,” he declared.
