Sir Harold Bollers Dies

My father called my phone last night and left a voicemail asking me to guess what US president Ford, James Brown and Uncle Harry had in common: They all died within 24 hours of each other.

Ms. G. Singh once congratulated me in Oct 2005 for having him as an uncle because his decisions which she referenced quite frequently were solid ones.

I will vouch for his honesty and good character through the best measure that any person can have, that of his own son, Jeremy Bollers, who could have risen to the very top of the Guyana Revenue Authority were he willing to do something dishonest sometime in 2003 I think. He didn't and therefore he had to look for work outside the country in Canada.

After talking to family and close associates of my family, I've personally determined that any irregularity that characterized my uncle's tenure as head of the elections commission was most likely done with a gun barrel figuratively pointed at his own back and at his family. When he will still lucid but lacked a short-term memory, he told me that he spent much of his time as Chief Justice seeking to keep the PPP and PNC from "killing each other".

He is one of the very last of a Generation who saw a different Guyana that we've since left behind. I only hope that we can also leave behind the same Guyana that that his Guyana turned into and find a new one in which not only there are good court rulings but also prosperity for all Guyanese.

I am glad that he went in the company of his wife and son who was been very loyal to his aging parents throughout these past years by until recently keeping a close eye on them and ensuring their safety and good health.

May Sir Harold Bollers rest in peace and in good memory. Please send any condolences to his son Jeremy at jeremybollers@yahoo.com .

Thank you, JC Bollers


Sir Harold Bollers dies
Thursday, December 28th 2006


Sir Harold Bollers, former chief justice and chairman of the Elections Commis-sion died at the age of 91 in his sleep on Boxing Day after a period of illness.

Sir Harold served as a legal consultant in the Attorney General's Cham-bers after he retired as chief justice in the 1970s and prior to becoming the chairman of the Elections Commission, where he served for three terms before retiring in 1991. His tenure as Chairman was a controversial one and ended with the decision to have a new commission based on the Carter/Price formula.

Sir Harold studied law at London University and was trained at the Middle Temple Inn.

He graduated from the Middle Temple at the age of 21 and was admitted to the Bar in Barbados where he first practised his newly found profession. His son Jeremy who is currently in the country on holiday told Stabroek News that at age 22 he defended a murder accused successfully and was congratulated by the presiding judge at the time. It was an accomplishment that his father recalled on occasion.

Sir Harold believed in the sanctity of the judiciary, his son said, adding that he was a mentor to a number of persons in the legal profession some of whom visited his home regularly.

He loved Guyana, particularly Suddie Beach on the Essequibo Coast.

He is survived by his wife Eileen, children Christopher of Canada, Nadia of England, Shaun of the USA and Jeremy of Canada and three grandchildren.

His funeral would be held at the St Andrew's Kirk on the Avenue of the Republic on Saturday at 2 pm. There would be a public viewing from 1 pm.