District Leader Albert Baldeo, a former Magistrate, Senior Prosecutor and Police Legal Advisor in Guyana, who holds the distinction of being the first Special Prosecutor appointed in Guyana’s history to prosecute and expedite cases of public and national importance, in a dedicated, Special Magistrate’s Court, way back in 1985, wishes to remind everyone that, “Justice delayed is justice denied, and this injustice equally applies to the people of the Republic of Guyana. Indeed, the election fraud case is even more pivotal, and attacks the heart of our democracy.”
“I must agree with those frustrated voices that no Magistrate should allow him or herself to be constrained by legal maneuvers designed to thwart the election fraud case from being tried. After three years, the Defense should not be allowed to recycle or manipulate legal methods calculated to frustrate justice in this case, especially when those arguments should have been raised earlier. With every postponement, the risk of this case being mooted and trivialized by another election cycle looms larger, and the people of Guyana are collectively deprived of justice,” Baldeo lamented.
“In fact, he/she must rise to the occasion, if only to satisfy the international concerns that the rule of law is alive and well in Guyana, and confirm to all that we are deserving of our global ascendancy, and world standing, as a nation proud of its basic institutions, as obtains here. Judicial functionaries are reminded of the words of the famous Judge, Lord Mansfield, who posited, “Let justice be done, though the heavens fall.” Indeed, President Theodore Roosevelt cautions us that, “No man is above the law and no man is below it-nor do we ask any man’s permission when we ask him to obey it,” Baldeo said.
The Magistrate must order a “peremptory trial,” to hear and conclude these cases without any further delays, rhymes or excuses. The people are fed up with spurious excuses previously advanced for regurgitations, recusals and postponements, and she must put an end to this charade.
Indeed, Mr. Vishnu Bisram recalls the precedent which the Chancellor and Magistrates must follow in expediting these cases without further delay, when he wrote, “Mr. Baldeo was the first Special Prosecutor appointed, in 1985. He was then a Senior State Counsel for the Director of Public Prosecutions. He spearheaded massive Government frauds in the then-constituted Special Fraud Court, which were prevalent during the 1980’s at various corporations, including the Guyana Gold Board, Guyana Police Force, Ministry of Finance, Guyana Defense Force, Guyana Co-op Bank, and other entities. Then head of the judiciary, Chancellor Massiah, convened this historic court for the first time in Guyana’s history, and the then DPP, Mr. Emmanuel Ramao, chose his star prosecutor, Albert Baldeo, to lead the prosecution.”
Like Magistrate Jagnandan, later Judge Jagnandan, I was proud to discharge my public duty. To his credit, he tolerated no delay tactics and promptly ruled against attempts to stymie justice. None of these cases were overturned by the Appellate Courts.
Sincerely,
HON. ALBERT BALDEO, DISTRICT LEADER, LITTLE GUYANA, NY, USA (PRESS RELEASE)
Former Magistrate, Senior State Prosecutor and Police Legal Advisor in Guyana
(718) 529-2300