Judge allows Chaguanas Vendors Association injunction to continue

A GROUP of Chaguanas vendors can continue to sell, at least until the hearing and determination of a High Court injunction, at the old Chaguanas Health Centre site.

High Court judge Kevin Ramcharan allowed the Chaguanas Vendors Association's injunction to continue in a hearing yesterday in the San Fernando High Court. The judge, however, expressed concern over the three-year delay in the hearing of the case filed by the association against the Chaguanans Borough Corporation.

On January 20, 2015, Justice Judith Jones had granted an injunction against the corporation's decision to remove the vendors from the site where they have been vending. The corporation has plans to build a vendors' mall.

During the hearing, attorney for the corporation Kelvin Ramkissoon, made an application to Ramcharan to have the injunction discharged to enable the corporation to go ahead with its plans to construct the mall. The effect of such an application, if granted, would have meant that the corporation could have evicted the vendors.

Attorney Alvin Pariagsingh representing the vendors, submitted that the court ought not disturb the status quo. If it did, then the order of Jones would be rendered nugatory. The corporation, he submitted, had three years to apply to the court to set aside the injunction, however, that was not done.

Ramcharan agreed and refused the corporation’s application. However, the judge warned that barring exception circumstances, he would proceed with the trial on January 22 and 23, 2019.

Present at the hearing were Chaguanans Mayor Gopaul Boodhan, former mayor Orlando Nagassar and former MP for Chaguanas Jack Warner who acted on behalf of the vendors in lobbying their cause.