High Court clears way for GPSU elections

Last Updated on Tuesday, 25 April 2017, 19:34 by Denis Chabrol

The High Court on Tuesday cleared the way for the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) to hold its elections, despite efforts by a group of union members to stop the polls on the grounds that the accounts had not been audited for several years.

The Union said the elections would now be held on Thursday, April 27, 2017. The GPSU said its General Secretary has issued a Circular calling on all members that “notwithstanding the obvious inconvenience caused to make every effort to discharge their civic responsibilities towards the Union and meaningfully participate in the upcoming Elections.”

Justice Nareshwar Harnanan discharged the interim order that he had previously granted on April 20, 2017.  The union said the judge quashed the injunction  after hearing submissions by its Attorney-at-Law, Roysdale Forde that the claims by staff member of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, Gregory Gaspar of “non-compliance with the Union’s rules and its obligations under the Trade Union’s Act were erroneous and misconceived.”

The union said its Union’s Attorney-at-Law’s submissions included evidence that Annual Returns to the Registrar of Trade Unions which had Income and Expenditure Statements and Balance Sheets for the entire period up to 31st December 2016. Also presented was a statement from the Auditor General confirming that the Audit of the Union’s accounts up to 2005 and that Income and Expenditure Statements and Balance Sheets up to 31st December 2016 were in his possession.

The union used the opportunity to lash out Gaspar and “his instigator” Mr. Jermain Hermanstyne, saying they “were fully aware of these facts but deliberately set out to publicly misrepresent them for personal and petty reasons.

“They also advocated that their backward views should supersede rights of members in accordance with the rules of the Union. Investigations would reveal that both Mr. Gasper and Mr. Hermanstyne were amongst the poorest performers and achievers as members in the Guyana Public Service Union.”