Afro-Guyanese are mostly public servants but no Appellate Tribunal -- Luncheon
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Friday, 23 September 2011 17:08
Source
Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon on Friday acknowledged that the majority of public servants are African Guyanese but at the same time he said the Public Service Appellate Tribunal has not been appointed for several years now.
Under cross examination by Defence Lawyer, Khemraj Ramjattan in the Bharrat Jagdeo-Freddie Kissoon libel case, Luncheon also told the High Court that the Human Rights Commission has not been established because the Opposition Leader is yet to make his nominations.
Jagdeo has sued Kissoon for GUY$10 million in damages because the Guyanese leader said he was called an ideological racist in a June 28, 2010 column titled ‘King Kong sent his goons to disrupt the conference’ was an unusual writing. The Defence team is setting out to adduce evidence to support Kissoon’s contention by showing that Guyanese of African descent are being discriminated against in favour of East Indians.
The Head of the Presidential Secretariat explained that public servants aggrieved by decisions and rulings of the Public Service Commission (PSC) can seek redress before the tribunal. At the same time, he said the tribunal has not been constituted for several years now. Ramjattan suggested that a chairman of the tribunal has not been appointed since 2004.
Though Luncheon said most of the public servants are African Guyanese, he could not say whether the majority of persons affected by the non-appointment of the tribunal are people of that racial background.
“I’m unable to confirm the assertion that the majority of people affected by the non-appointment of the tribunal are African Guyanese,” he said.
While admitting that an Ombudsman has not been appointed for several years now, Luncheon insisted that the Ombudsman is not responsible for hearing grievances by public servants- a point that was buttressed by Jagdeo’s lawyer, Anil Nandlall, when he pointed out to Justice Brassington Reynolds that the functions of the Ombudsman are listed in Guyana’s constitution. “The functions of the Ombudsman are not for speculation and are expressly enumerated in the constitution,” said Nandlall.
On the question of whether 70 percent of the Guyana government scholarship awardees were of East Indian descent under President Jagdeo’s tenure, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat rejected that suggestion for any period before or during that period. Luncheon recalled that the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) had conducted a probe into the racial bias in the award of scholarships but he could recall who had done that investigation.
He denied being one of the authors of the Guyana government’s repudiation of the report by the UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Gay Mc Dougal that was prepared after her visit in July 2008. He, however, said that as Cabinet Secretary he had been responsible for organizing Cabinet’s repudiation and transmittal through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “As Cabinet Secretary and head of the Presidential Secretary, I had no role in generating content,” he said.
Justice Reynolds gave lawyers for the plaintiff and defendants time to prepare legal submissions on whether the Mc Dougal report and the repudiation could be downloaded from the relevant United Nations website and tendered used during the trial. Luncheon said he would first have to examine the copies from the website and ensure that they are the same as those in the possession of the Guyana government. About whether he had ever heard the President saying that Buxtonians are ransom-seekers, Luncheon said “I am aware of reports of him making such a statement.”
The case continues on September 28,2010 at 2:30 PM.
Written by Denis Scott Chabrol
Friday, 23 September 2011 17:08
Source
Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Roger Luncheon on Friday acknowledged that the majority of public servants are African Guyanese but at the same time he said the Public Service Appellate Tribunal has not been appointed for several years now. Under cross examination by Defence Lawyer, Khemraj Ramjattan in the Bharrat Jagdeo-Freddie Kissoon libel case, Luncheon also told the High Court that the Human Rights Commission has not been established because the Opposition Leader is yet to make his nominations.
Jagdeo has sued Kissoon for GUY$10 million in damages because the Guyanese leader said he was called an ideological racist in a June 28, 2010 column titled ‘King Kong sent his goons to disrupt the conference’ was an unusual writing. The Defence team is setting out to adduce evidence to support Kissoon’s contention by showing that Guyanese of African descent are being discriminated against in favour of East Indians.
The Head of the Presidential Secretariat explained that public servants aggrieved by decisions and rulings of the Public Service Commission (PSC) can seek redress before the tribunal. At the same time, he said the tribunal has not been constituted for several years now. Ramjattan suggested that a chairman of the tribunal has not been appointed since 2004.
Though Luncheon said most of the public servants are African Guyanese, he could not say whether the majority of persons affected by the non-appointment of the tribunal are people of that racial background.
“I’m unable to confirm the assertion that the majority of people affected by the non-appointment of the tribunal are African Guyanese,” he said.
While admitting that an Ombudsman has not been appointed for several years now, Luncheon insisted that the Ombudsman is not responsible for hearing grievances by public servants- a point that was buttressed by Jagdeo’s lawyer, Anil Nandlall, when he pointed out to Justice Brassington Reynolds that the functions of the Ombudsman are listed in Guyana’s constitution. “The functions of the Ombudsman are not for speculation and are expressly enumerated in the constitution,” said Nandlall.
On the question of whether 70 percent of the Guyana government scholarship awardees were of East Indian descent under President Jagdeo’s tenure, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat rejected that suggestion for any period before or during that period. Luncheon recalled that the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) had conducted a probe into the racial bias in the award of scholarships but he could recall who had done that investigation.
He denied being one of the authors of the Guyana government’s repudiation of the report by the UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues, Gay Mc Dougal that was prepared after her visit in July 2008. He, however, said that as Cabinet Secretary he had been responsible for organizing Cabinet’s repudiation and transmittal through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “As Cabinet Secretary and head of the Presidential Secretary, I had no role in generating content,” he said.
Justice Reynolds gave lawyers for the plaintiff and defendants time to prepare legal submissions on whether the Mc Dougal report and the repudiation could be downloaded from the relevant United Nations website and tendered used during the trial. Luncheon said he would first have to examine the copies from the website and ensure that they are the same as those in the possession of the Guyana government. About whether he had ever heard the President saying that Buxtonians are ransom-seekers, Luncheon said “I am aware of reports of him making such a statement.”
The case continues on September 28,2010 at 2:30 PM.
