Archbishop gets injunction against Paramin fruit vendor

A HIGH COURT judge has granted a partial injunction to RC Archbishop Jason Gordon, who has filed a lawsuit against a Paramin vendor for constructing a fruit stall on the grounds of the Our Lady of Guadalupe RC Church.

On Friday, Justice Frank Seepersad ordered Jason St Hilaire to cease further construction of a second structure on the church’s lands at Saut D'Eau Road, Paramin, Maraval.

St Hillaire was also ordered to refrain from assaulting, abusing or intimidating the archbishop or any of his agents.

He is also allowed to continue to use the initial wooden structure on the property for his business until November, when the matter comes up for hearing.

In the lawsuit, the archbishop says sometime in June, the church received a report that St Hilaire and a relative were putting up a concrete building on the property.

“There were roof, doors or windows on the illegal structure. The erection of the illegal structures was done without the permission, knowledge and consent of the claimant, its agents and servants.”

The court documents said when attempts were made to deliver survey notices, St Hilaire became hostile, verbally abusing members of the archbishop's property management department, used obscene language and demanding they leave the land.

The lawsuit said the archbishop’s staff had to get the police to intervene so the survey notices could be served on St Hillaire. During the survey, the church’s staff noticed the wooden structure, which they were told  St Hilaire built in 2017 and used as a fruit shed.

During the verbal berating, the lawsuit said St Hilare claimed the land was state land and his attorney had told him he had a right to occupy it.

The archbishop is contending that St Hilaire has unlawfully encroached and trespassed on three portions of the land owned by the church.

“The defendant’s actions, if unrestrained, would have deleterious effects on the character and value of the said lands,” the lawsuit maintains.

The archbishop is represented by attorneys Gregory Delzin, Dianne Mano and Shauntelle Wilson.