Georgetown: The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has awarded costs to now President Dr. Irfaan Ali and Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo following its judgment in the Eslyn David elections case.
In a written Order on July 31, the Court, which serves as Guyana apex court, issued a directive stating that: “Costs before the Caribbean Court of Justice are awarded to Messrs Ali and Jagdeo to be paid jointly and severally by the Attorney General, Ms David and Mr Harmon certified fit for two counsels to be taxed in default of agreement.”
Prior to the case being escalated to the CCJ, it was before the Court of Appeal, and costs incurred by Ali and Jagdeo at that court were also granted by the CCJ.
“Costs are awarded in the Court of Appeal to Messrs Ali and Jagdeo to be paid by Ms David certified fit for two counsel to be taxed in default of agreement,” the CCJ’s Order reads.
The Appeal Court had initially ordered in its June 22 ruling that each party was to bear its own costs. These require the costs to be paid unless there is an agreement between the parties not to do so.
David, an agent of the now-ousted APNU+AFC coalition, had approached the court seeking to have it block the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) from presenting his final elections report reflecting the certified votes from a national recount.
According to recently appointed Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandall, David, an A Partnership for National Unity +Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) supporter was joined by Party Agent, Joseph Harmon, and the former Attorney General Basil Williams S.C in seeking to block the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) from declaring the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) the winner of the March 2020 election.
The case was eventually discarded by the CCJ – Guyana’s Apex Court – which ordered that cost be paid by members of the losing team.
Among the orders, Nandall noted that the CCJ outlined that costs be paid jointly and severally by the AG, David and Harmon to Ali and Jagdeo.
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