Equal Opportunity Tribunal to resume trials

TRIALS at the Equal Opportunity Tribunal (EOT) will resume on Wednesday.

A statement from the EOT said the trials will be the first since the appointment of chairman Donna Prowell-Raphael on April 3.

Prowell-Raphael will be sitting with lay assessor Leela Ramdeen.

The release said over the last six months, the new chairman and staff have been working to implement new systems and structures at the tribunal’s offices in Chaguanas.

Prowell-Raphael expressed optimism that stakeholders will be better served with new initiatives to be implemented, despite the tribunal being cash-strapped.

Some of the new systems include e-mail reminders of court deadlines and dates, and video conferencing for case management.

The EOT is a superior court of record with similar status to that of the High Court and the Industrial Court, with powers to impose fines, make orders for compensation and grant injunctions to persons who feel they are being discriminated against.

The tribunal is not the same as, or a part of, the Equal Opportunity Commission. Its functions are judicial, and are independent and distinct from the conciliatory role and functions of the commission.

The commission receives complaints of discrimination for conciliation under the act. Complaints that cannot be resolved by conciliation or remain unresolved after conciliation can be referred by the commission to the tribunal for judicial adjudication and determination.