Two weeks ago a Government team led by the President Ramotar visited Cotton Tree, West Coast Berbice. This area is populated by descendants of indentured labourers and has a substantial land problem. The President described it thus: “…historic problems which has (sic) been in the making for a long time whereby lands were given out […]
Tag Archives: legal
THE UNITED NATIONS AND MINING ON AMERINDIAN LANDS
I return to the issue of mining on Amerindian lands because of the international dimension introduced by a letter to the Government from the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD). The letter expressed concern over mining on Amerindian lands of the Isseneru and Kako communities and has asked the Government to […]
MINING ON AMERINDIAN LANDS
Now that the dust has settled and emotions have subsided, it might be a good time to dispassionately consider the meaning of the Court’s decision in the Isseneru Case which attracted some attention recently. To grasp its full significance and implications, we need to go back in time.
WHAT THE CHIEF JUSTICE ACTUALLY SAID.
Three differing interpretations of the Chief Justice’s ruling in the case of the Attorney General v David Granger and Raphael Trotman have been given. Attorney at Law Basil Williams of APNU said that the Chief Justice upheld the decision of the Speaker by allowing Home Affairs Minister to speak as a Member of the National […]
ABOLISH JURY TRIALS
In 1978 the PNC administration proposed the Administration of Justice Bill which sought, among other things, to increase the number of offences which could be tried summarily, that is to say, before a Magistrate. These offences which were known as indictable offences, were heard before a Judge and jury. There was great opposition to the […]