High Court orders Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union to hold Special Members meeting

Last Updated on Friday, 30 September 2022, 12:35 by Denis Chabrol

High Court Judge Navindra Singh on Friday ordered the Guyana Public Service Cooperative Credit Union Limited  to hold a special members meeting by October 24, 2022 and pay GY$100,000 in cost.

Justice Singh granted the orders that were sought by Mehalai Mc Almont, Keith Marks and Natasha Duran. Attorney-at-Law Roysdale Forde, who represented the applicants, said the judge found that Regulation 16 of The Cooperative Society Act permitted the applicants as members of the cooperative society to demand a special general meeting.

The Judge stated that the applicants had satisfied the requirement by presenting the demand by a number In excess of the requirement of 25 members.

The Court stated that the Respondents were being disingenuous by stating that the Applicants had failed to satisfy Regulation 16, according to Mr Forde.

The Court also rejected the Respondents argument that the issue of a special general meeting constituted a dispute and it was therefore caught by section 49 of the Cooperative Societies Act. The Court stated that Section 49 clearly did not cover the issue of a special general meeting, the lawyer said.

The Court stated that the Respondents cannot be allowed to subvert the legislation.

Then acting Chairman Patrick Mentore had set  June 25, 2022 for the Special Members Meeting and the Committee had refused to pay GY$163,000 for the advertisement. Mr Mentore said he would be seeking a refund of the money spent on the newspaper advertisement.

The now deposed Chairman of the Public Service Cooperative Credit Union, Trevor Benn could now contest for a seat on the new executive at the Special Members Meeting next month, sources said, adding that the newly-elected body could again elect him as Chairman.

Mr Mentore said the union has racked GY$3.5 million in lawyer fees.

Mr Forde said the court found that the respondents were not allowed to stop short and appoint a new Chairman and then say that the Applicants must start the process all over again.

The Court also ruled that the Committee of Management must issue a new notice within 10 days of the date of the Order- 30th September, 2022- scheduling a Special General Meeting to be held no later than the 24th October, 2022.

The Court also ordered GY$1 million dollars cost to be paid by Rajdai Jagnauth, Leslyn Noble, Ruth Howard and Karen Van Slutyman by the 22nd October, 2022.