Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, has welcomed a recent court ruling that upheld long-standing constitutional restrictions preventing members of the Guyana Police Force from joining trade unions or similar organisations.Speaking during his Issues in the News programme on Tuesday, Nandlall said the court’s decision reaffirmed what has always been clear in Guyana’s constitutional framework, that members of the disciplined forces are excluded from certain rights of association due to the nature of their duties.The case, filed by Attorney-at-Law Darren Wade, sought to challenge provisions of the Trade Union Recognition Act and related legislation, arguing that they were inconsistent with Article 147 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association.But Nandlall explained that while Article 147 does provide such rights, it also explicitly outlines limitations, including exemptions for members of the security and disciplined forces.“Every constitutional right carries its own limitations,” the Attorney General noted. “The right of association, including the right to be part of a trade union, does not extend to members of the disciplined forces and that has been the case since independence.”He described the legal challenge as “frivolous” and said the court had “no difficulty” in dismissing the matter and awarding costs of $500,000 against the claimant.The Attorney General added that despite decades of constitutional stability on this issue, the Guyana Trades Union Congress (GTUC) had never before challenged the prohibition and only recently attempted to do so through this case. “The Constitution has been clear for over 50 years, and this ruling simply reaffirms that position,” Nandlall said. The post Court dismisses bid to allow Police to join trade unions—Nandlall calls case ‘frivolous’ appeared first on News Room Guyana.