A judicial review challenge to Mingo’s manipulated tabulation and fraudulent declaration was heard by Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire who, after ruling that the High Court had jurisdiction to hear the case upon the basis of its supervisory powers over a public body exercising public functions, allowed the application and set aside Mingo’s tabulation and declaration.
In upholding the PPP/C’s application for judicial review, Madam Chief Justice effectively found that Clairmont Mingo, a public body official, failed to follow statutory stipulations and arrogated to himself powers which he did not possess to make decisions for the benefit of one side (APNU/AFC).
But history apart, a significant unanswered question arose out of the High Court’s decision: why didn’t the Chief Justice order that the matter of the Region 4 tabulation be returned to Gecom for continuation/completion by a different official i.e. an official other than Mingo eg.
The Court’s disposition of the Judicial Review Application without a determination of the issue of reasonable apprehension of bias on the part of Clairmont Mingo, a Gecom official, coupled with the absence of a Court Order prohibiting Mingo’s continued participation in the tabulation/ declaration process of the Region 4 votes, in my respectful view, amounted to an abdication of judicial responsibility.
Did acting Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, give any hope to Guyanese citizens with her disposition of the Judicial Review Application in the so-called “Mingo magic” tabulation/declaration of Region 4 votes in the March 2020 elections in Guyana?
