Promoter sues beauty queen over prize money

Attorney Rondell Donawa was seen leaving the San Fernando High Court with Elite Productions director Patrice Valentine yesterday PHOTO BY: ANSEL JEBODH
Attorney Rondell Donawa was seen leaving the San Fernando High Court with Elite Productions director Patrice Valentine yesterday PHOTO BY: ANSEL JEBODH

BEAUTY Pageant promoter Elite Productions and its director Patrice Valentine, has sued one of its pageant winners for $50,990.46 for breach of contract. Breige Wilson won the 2013 Miss Jamzone International pageant in Guyana with a US$10,000 prize. In a claim for breach of contract, Elite Productions, through attorney Rondell Donawa, accused Wilson of ending the contract prematurely by refusing to participate in Miss Caribe Hibiscus and the Miss International Carnival Queen pageants.

Wilson filed a defence in which she contended that the claim was filed after the four-year statutory limitation for such type of actions. She won the pageant on August 21, 2013 and Elite Productions claim was on August 25, 2017.

The matter came up for hearing yesterday before Justice Frank Seepersad in the San Fernando High Court. He explained that there were two aspects of the case, the first was recoverable expenses of $50,990.46 as a result of Wilson’s alleged breach of the pageant contract by failing to participate in the other shows. On that issue, Seepersad ruled that the matter will proceed for trial in order for the court to be apprised of all the facts before determining whether the four-year limitation should be applied.

He ordered that documents be filed by both sides by June 20 and that agreed and disagreed bundles of documents be exchanged. Hearing is set for October 10.

However, on the aspect of the 25 per cent of the $10,000 prize money which Elite Productions claims it is entitled to, Seepersad threw out their case on the very ground of four-year statute of limitation. The specific clause in the contract stated that upon Wilson winning the pageant, Elite Productions is to be paid 25 per cent of the prize money. The judge held that Wilson won on August 21, 2013 and the claim against her was four days late.

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"Promoter sues beauty queen over prize money"

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