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*overnment is likely to re tain the services of two Bar badian attorneys in the 3res idential Term limit matter set for the &aribbean &ourt of -ustice &&- , sometime this year.
Attorney *eneral and 0in ister of Legal Affairs, Basil :illiams 6 &, spoke of the likelihood of the case at a recent event.
+e noted that while govern ment has not yet decided whether attorneys from out side the Murisdiction will be retained for the third term appeal case, the services of two Barbadian 4ueen’s &ounsel, 5alph Thorne and +al *ollop, are up for con sideration.
Thorne and *ollop are al ready retained by the 6tate in the legal challenge the *overnment is facing over the unilateral appointment of -ustice :inston 3atter son as *uyana (lections &ommission *(&20 &hairman. 4uestioned about the 6tateµs preparedness for the third term case, the At torney *eneral told report ers that *overnment has a lot of time to prepare the 6tate case. The 6tate had mounted a challenge to &&- following a ruling the &ourt 2f Appeal which up held a decision by former &hief -ustice ,an &hang, that rendered the two term presidential limit unconsti tutional.
&hancellor of the -udiciary, &arl 6ingh, was supported by -ustice of Appeal, B 6 5oy in upholding -ustice &hang’s decision. &hief -ustice ag <onette &um mings (dwards, who also sat on the panel, gave a dis senting Mudgement.
The former &-’s ruling was based on a &onstitutional challenge, filed on behalf of *eorgetown resident, &ed ric 5ichardson in )ebruary
. The applicant argued that Act of , which was passed by a two thirds ma Mority of the 1ational As sembly, unconstitutionally curtailed and restricted his sovereign and democratic rights and freedom as a qualified elector to elect former 3resident Bharrat -agdeo as the ([ecutive 3resident of the &oopera tive 5epublic of *uyana. 5ichardson had contended that the limit was unconsti tutional and illegal. +e also wanted the court to deter mine whether the amend ment with a referendum should not have been held, instead of the two thirds maMority in the 1ational As sembly having the powers to decide to limit the num ber of terms following the decision, the Attorney *en eral and 0inister of 1atural 5esources 5aphael, Trot man approached the &&- to challenge the ruling.
(Kaieteur News)