The Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union has been ordered by the Court to begin preparations for a Special General Meeting to be held by February 5, 2024.

At the High Court this morning, Justice Navendra Singh handed down the order in his decision for the Credit Union to call the Special General Meeting and to publish a notice for the holding of the meeting to elect new office bearers for the Committee of Management of the Credit Union.

The Court also ordered that three Members of the Committee of Management, Trevor Benn, Patrick Mentore and Rajdai Jaggarnauth, be responsible for the preparations and execution of the General meeting, positing that the remaining members of the Committee of Management do not appear serious in the management of the Credit Union Affairs. This is after the Committee of Management disregarded a previous ruling by the High Court. 

The ruling is being seen as a win for ousted Chairman of the Credit Union Trevor Benn. Many of his supporters and Credit Union members have been pushing for the special meeting to once again elect him to head the credit union.

Benn was removed last year as Chairman of the Credit Union following a no-confidence vote by members of the Management Committee.

A new Chairperson, Karen Vansluytman Corbin took over the reins of the Credit Union, but she was barred for months barred by the Court from executing any duties on behalf of the Credit Union. The Court this morning reinstated her as Chair to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Credit Union. However, the Court also ruled that she must have no responsibility over the hosting of the SGM. 

Attorney-at-Law for the applicants, Mehali Mc Calmont and others, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde told News Source that the decision of the Court was made clear and he does not expect that there be any flouting of the Court’s orders. He said should the Committee of Management or Senior Officers at the Credit Union attempt to thwart the ruling of the Court; the applicants will be moving back to the Courts to have penalties instituted. 

Senior Counsel Forde told News Source that although the decision could be appealed, it would have no direct bearing on the hosting of the Elections, unless there is a ruling to that effect from the Appeal Court.

Following the no-confidence vote against Mr. Benn, three members of the Credit Union, Mehalai Mc Almont, Keith Marks and Natasha Clements approached the High Court for several declarations including an order to invalidate several meetings which were called following Benn’s removal.

The applicants had submitted to the Court that after a no-confidence motion was passed against Benn at a Special Committee Meeting on April 21, he was removed as the GPSCCU’s Chairman, but not as a member of its Committee of Management.

When contacted for a Comment, Mr. Benn said, he intends to respect the ruling of the Court and will be working along with his colleagues to carry out today’s ruling.

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