The Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) and the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) have moved to the High Court to secure a Contempt Order against the Attorney General, the Minister responsible for Finance, the Education Ministry’s Permanent Secretary and a number of other Government and Regional officials for breaching the orders of the Court by failing to deduct union dues from the salaries of teachers, and to have those dues remitted to the Union.

Through their attorney, Darren Wade, the Unions want the court to order the Attorney General, Anil Nandlall; the Minister of Finance, Ashni Singh; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Shannelle Hoosein-Outar and the Regional Executive Officers of Regions 2, 4, 5, and 6 to be committed for contempt of Court for their failure to comply with the orders of the Court. 

More than a year ago, High Court Judge Sandil Kissoon ordered the Government to refrain from withholding the salaries of teachers who had taken industrial action back in February 2024.

The Government was also ordered to refrain from discontinuing the process of deducting from the wages and salaries of teachers union dues, and to have those remitted to the Teachers’ Union.

In the Court document seen by News Source, the Unions said despite the order of the Court being served, the parties involved have failed to adhere to the Court’s orders.

The unions contend that the Regional Executive Officers of Regions 2, 4, 5, and 6, despite being served, have failed to process and facilitate the lawful deduction of union dues, issue and remit cheques to the Guyana Teachers’ Union or otherwise take steps as Accounting Officers to comply with the Court’s orders.

The Unions said the conduct of the REOs, the Attorney General, the Minister of Finance and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education “amounts to a flagrant and deliberate defiance of the judicial authority of the Court, a reckless disregard for the rule of law, and a continuing contempt calculated to frustrate and nullify the constitutional rights of the GTU and its members”.

The union said such disobedience strikes at the very heart of the administration of justice and warrants the strongest sanction of the Court.

The two unions have provided documentary evidence to support its application before the Court.

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