Three weeks after the Guyana Court of Appeal in a 2-1 decision ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the Election Petition case which was thrown out by Chief Justice Roxanne George for late service to former President David Granger, the Attorneys representing the Government and the Vice President are moving to the CCJ to appeal the ruling of the Court of Appeal.

The Attorneys led by Attorney General Anil Nandlall have approached the Court of Appeal to further stay its decision to give way for the government to prepare its appeal to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

The stay of judgment which was granted on December 21 last year expired on January 4^.

In a Notice of Appeal to the Appeal Court, Attorney General Nandlall is asking the Court to further stay its decision.

The Attorney General in laying out his case for a further extension to stay the judgement, said the intended appeal is a matter of public interest which touches and concerns National and General elections.

He said the proceedings are of great national importance.

“Complying with section 7 of the CCJ Act the application for leave to appeal from the decision of the Court of Appeal must be, and is hereby made to this Honorable Court, given that this is a matter of grave national importance and the appeal lies as of right to the CCJ,” the Attorney General said in his submission.

In January last year, Chief Justice Roxane George dismissed the case because the petition was served late to former President David Granger who was listed as one of the respondents.

The petition was filed by APNU+AFC coalition supporters Monica Thomas and Brennan Nurse. They were asking the court to nullify the outcome of the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, and declare that President Dr. Irfaan Ali is illegally occupying office.

An appeal was then filed by the Opposition against the Chief Justice’s ruling and that appeal saw the Attorney General moving a motion to have the case struck out.

But the Court of Appeal by a majority vote said it can hear preliminary arguments in the case.

With the matter now moving to the CCJ, a final determination could take several months. 

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