Court blocks PSA from holding general council meeting, disposing of assets

A HIGH COURT judge has granted a late evening injunction preventing the Public Service Association (PSA) from convening a general council meeting on Thursday morning.

The injunction also prevents the PSA executive from dealing with certain bank accounts held at various financial institutions and remains in place until Monday at 10 am when a hearing will be convened with all the respective parties.

Justice Frank Seepersad granted the injunction which also prohibits the PSA’s executive from disposing or diminishing any of its assets, either locally or outside Trinidad and Tobago except to pay salaries.

The union has been accused by members of failing to comply with its constitution and failing to hold elections for nine years even in the face of several court decisions in their favour.

The members also allege because of this, several critical sections of the union remain inactive resulting in the general council and conference not being properly constituted. Without branch elections being held, the members say, they cannot be a part of the meeting.

They further complained that a meeting of the general council was scheduled for Thursday, to be held virtually on Zoom, and accused the union’s hierarchy of wanting to install a new president unlawfully and not giving the general membership notice that they wished to fill vacancies within the PSA.

The injunction application said there was a real risk of the PSA continuing to dissipate the assets of the union if the court did not intervene.