Dear Editor,
The right to be heard is a fundamental right guaranteed to every person in the state of Guyana.That is, every person who makes an allegation against another person has a right to present his side of the story and the other person has a right to reply. This in everyday language is referred to as “fairness.” In the matter before the Parliament concerning the gagging of Mr.Rohee, the Leader of APNU, Mr. Granger, who moved the motion must first be allowed to present his motion and this having been presented, Mr. Rohee must be given a right of reply. The Speaker has not allowed Mr. Granger to present his case. The motion has only been moved, and accordingly the Speaker’s ruling is premature.
It is a well known principle of Public Law known to every student that Courts have no jurisdiction in matters of conflict between the Parliament and the Executive. And this has been so since the case of Ship Money (1625) and reinforced by Bradlaugh’s case (1689), where there was a conflict between the affairs of Parliament and the affairs of State. Because of the minority government in Guyana seeking to maintain its power in office, it can only do so by invoking the power of the courts by inviting the court to intervene in conflicts between the Executive and the Parliament which in this country ought never to arise since an Acting Chief Justice and an Acting Chancellor cannot preside over matters involving conflicts between the Executive and Parliament.
The great need in this country is for an effective Attorney-General.
Yours faithfully
Benjamin E. Gibson
Attorney-at- Law
