PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Thursday said it has given no indication as to whether or not it has jurisdiction to hear an appeal filed by the two senior members of the main opposition People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) in relation to a Court of Appeal ruling in Guyana regarding the disputed March 2 regional and general election in that country.
President of the CCJ, Justice Adrian Saunders, told the attorneys for all the parties during the case management conference that contrary to public statements being made outside of the court, “we have not decided the issue of jurisdiction”.
The CCJ, which is Guyana’s highest court, also indicated that it wanted to reassure the entire world and specifically the people of Guyana that it “will treat with this matter on the basis of what is submitted.
But in his minority ruling, Justice Rishi Persaud ruled that the motion was “premature” and “wholly ill-conceived” and that the applicant should have awaited to take the matter before the High Court, after GECOM would have announced the official election results.
Later on Monday, the CCJ issued an order informing all parties to the dispute to maintain the status quo until further order and hold a case management conference with a view towards a full hearing of all the matters in dispute on Wednesday, July 1.
