FFOS granted highway injunction again

AZARD ALI

FISHERMEN and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) was yesterday successful in obtaining a full injunction before the Court of Appeal against construction work on the controversial five-kilometre Churchill Roosevelt Highway extension to Manzanilla.

Appellate judge Justice Peter Rajkumar also granted FFOS, in an application argued by its attorney Anand Ramlogan SC, leave to have the appeal deemed fit for urgent hearing. It is expected that the appeal will he heard in March before a three-member panel of the Appeal Court.

There was only an interim injunction enforced which temporarily halted work by contractor KallCo, Ministry of Works and the National Infrastructure Development Company.

FFOS challenged approvals given by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) to build the highway based on environmental concerns especially through the Main Road to Guaico Trace in Sangre Grande in close proximity to the Aripo savannah.

FFOS also challenged the decision by the EMA to issue a certificate of environmental clearance to the ministry.Rajkumar, in the Hall of Justice, conducted the hearing via video conference on a substantive injunction with FFOS attorneys Ramlogan, instructed by attorney Jayanti Lutchmedial, making full submissions from the San Fernando High Court. KallCo was represented by Douglas Mendes SC, the ministry by Ian Benjamin while Senior Counsel Deborah Peake appeared for the EMA in the Hall of Justice.

After the attorneys’ submission and Ramlogan’s reply, Rajkumar, who heard the matter in chambers, said that the FFOS’ case raised serious issues to be tried as there was merit in the arguments.

Having regard to Rajkumar’s ruling, work on the project will therefore not continue until the hearing and outcome of the appeal.