Judge quashes ouster of nursing council’s head

THE court has quashed a decision last month of the Nursing Council of TT to kick out its president and replace him. Justice Frank Seepersad made the decision on Thursday in the San Fernando High Court, granting an injunction restraining Chris Craigwell from being appointed interim president.

The judge’s order effectively puts the council in a state of abeyance: it no longer exists in law. Ousted president David Murphy filed the injunction challenging his former council members’ 807th Ordinary meeting on August 26, at which he was dismissed and Craigwell installed.

The three-year term of the council, which consists of 15 members, ended in April.

The council registers nursing personnel including midwives and sets standards for education and practice. It is governed by an act of Parliament. The Ministry of Health appoints six members and nine are elected from among the 10,000-plus nursing membership throughout TT.

After hearing submissions from attorney Gerald Ramdeen, for Murphy and attorney Elaine Green, representing Craigwell, Seepersad ordered that Craigwell be restrained from assuming office as president, from holding any meeting of the council and implementing decisions.

The judge also ordered that any council decision made after April , when its term ended, would be null and void. In fact, he ordered that the 807th Ordinary general meeting to be beyond the power of the Nursing Personnel Act. Seepersad also granted Murphy an order directing the council’s registrar to withdraw a newspaper advertisement of Craigwell’s appointment as interim president.