Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain, was summoned to Court today, hours after he issued a memo to Education Officers instructing them to continue recording the names of striking teachers for eventual salary deductions.

The memo was seen as contemptuous of the Conservatory Orders handed down by Justice Sandil Kissoon, which blocked the Government from moving ahead with any salary deductions from teachers as the substantive case challenging those deductions is still to be heard.

In a new memo issued this afternoon, the Chief Education Officer, while making no reference to salary deductions, instructed Education Officers to continue recording the names of absent teachers and submit those names to the various Regional Executive Officers.

In Court today, the Chief Education Officer appeared alongside Attorney General Anil Nandlall and admitted that he erred in his articulation of the memorandum, which indicated that the Government will not pay teachers for the days they did not work.

Admitting further that the memo was “poorly worded,” the Chief Education Officer told the Court that it was never his intention to bring the administration of justice into disrepute, and the Education Ministry has no intention of cutting the salaries of teachers’ in violation of the Conservatory Orders granted by the Court last Thursday that blocked such actions. 

“The Ministry of Education and myself have no intention of cutting anybody’s salary or deducting anybody’s salary until all of this is resolved, and if it is not resolved, to do it ever,” the Chief Education Officer told the Court. 

Justice Kissoon told the Chief Education Officer that his memo was in violation of the Conservatory Orders granted in the case filed by the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU) against the Attorney General. 

The Judge explained that the memo sought to obstruct and or interfere with the administration of justice. He said the Chief Education Officer by indicating that the Court was expected to rule in accordance with the position taken by Government, sought to pre-empt the decision of the Court, when in fact the Court has not yet heard the substantive matter brought by the Union. 

Justice Kissoon said by doing so, Hussain brought the administration of justice into disrepute, by suggesting to the members of the public that the proceedings have been “predetermined.” 

Jumping to the defence of the Chief Education Officer, the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, who from the initial stage of today’s hearing was told that he had no legal standing in the contempt matter, and could not therefore represent Hussain, said it was never the intention of the Government to act in violation of the orders of the Court. 

He said while he briefed officials from the Ministry of Education on the Conservatory Orders granted by the Court, he was not sent a copy of the memo before it was sent out. 

Outside the Court, he told reporters that Government will abide by the ruling of the Court. 

“Mr Hussain accepted, I accepted that it was not worded in the manner that it should, the circular and we assured the judge that it was not the intention of the Government of Guyana, in these proceedings or in any proceedings to disobey court orders or to compromise the administration of justice. We respect the rule of law and that was not the intention in the circular,” the Attorney General explained. 

Attorney Darren Wade, who is representing the Guyana Teachers’ Union said he was surprised by the memo that was dispatched by the Chief Education Officer.

“What is important to note is that the memorandum issued by Mr Hussain, as the court indicated, brought the administration of justice into disrepute, and it was disclosed that that statement was issued on the basis of the advice of the Attorney General, and that saddens me as an officer of the Court. Because what is expected of us, as an officer of the Court, is that the administration of justice is upheld,” the Wade said. 

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