...Registrar tells of abuse by strikers
Registrar of the Supreme Court, Ms Sita Ramlall, testified Monday to being confronted by Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) Executive Member, Dr Anwar Hussein, and protesters at the Supreme Court, Avenue of the Republic, Georgetown on April 29 last. Led in her evidence by Counsel for the Commission, Mr Mortimer Cumberbatch, the witness, also an attorney-at-law, recalled on the day in question having a discussion with another counsel, Mr Hubert Rodney, at around 11:30 hours, when a senior officer from the Judicial Sector entered and related an incident. Ramlall said the officer, Mr Norman, told her that some of the staff had walked off the job and those who remained were crying and seemed afraid. The witness said she left her office in the company of Norman for the department and as she was about two yards away from the door, a group of people, among them Dr Hussein, surrounded her. Pointing his fingers in her face, Hussein remarked "You think you're a powerhouse, we gon deal with you". The senior Supreme Court official said she did not recognise anyone in the crowd, comprising mostly women, as employees of the Supreme Court. As the group continued to encircle her for some 10 minutes, she said Hussein kept gesticulating at her. Asked whether she was intimidated, Ramlall said yes, though she did not show it. The witness recalled one of the women threatening to box her. When she was allowed to pass, Ramlall said she was about to walk through the doorway of the Registry when two women pushed her from behind. An office assistant who attempted to help was pushed by about 15 women, all of whom had entered the Registry. Ramlall recalled telling them they were in that section of the office illegally and pleaded with them to leave, but to no avail. Instead, one of the women pulled at her dress, tearing the sleeves in the process, while others repeated the threats used by Hussein. They told her too, "This is not your home, you can't tell us to leave". After the women left the door to the Registry was closed by an office assistant, and the Registrar returned to her office. Ramlall, after seeking advice from a judge, convened a meeting with senior personnel from the Registry of the Supreme Court where she advised them of the union's intention and of the right of employees to strike if they wished. The employees cannot, though, if they chose to strike, remain on the premises, Ramlal said she explained, adding that between April 29 ad June 3, the majority of staff were on the job. During that period, too, the doors to the Registry remained open, and only when " mobs" passed on the road and the staff were intimidated were the doors closed for a while. Ramlall further testified that on June 4, she received a telephone call at home from an office assistant, informing her that the gate was blocked. On her arrival at the Supreme Court building, she recognised some of the protesters to be employees from the Marshal's Section and the Registry. She identified Marshal Joseph and two female cleaners as the persons who sat on the ground in front of the Charlotte Street entrance. Ramlall said a check at the South Road entrance revealed that the main gate was also blocked, this time by cleaners linking hands, and at the gates foreign objects were placed inside the padlocks. The Registrar recalled the Chief Justice asking the squatting marshal to remove but he did not, adding that Judges, Lawyers, litigants as well as an accused were all affected by the blocking of the entrances. She cited Justice Winston Moore as having to sum up a criminal matter that day, but could not gain entry to the Court. As the situation prevailed on June 7, Ramlall said she ordered the padlock on the Charlotte entrance be cut, but personnel were still not allowed to pass. However, on June 8, a strong Police presence facilitated the entry of workers, while picketers maintained their stand outside. Ramlall said the Police advised that she go to work early, that she not leave the compound before 17:00 hrs and that she not venture from her office to the Magistrates Court nearby. Meanwhile, public access was restricted to only the Charlotte street entrance of the Supreme Court. The situation remained in force until June 23, when the strike was called off.
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