High Court puts Pan Trinbago elections on hold pending trial

Pan Trinbago’s executive elections, scheduled for this Sunday, have been put on hold, pending the outcome of a last-minute lawsuit filed by four prospective candidates. During a hearing of the matter before Justice Ricky Rahim in the Port-of-Spain High Court yesterday, the candidates came to an agreement with the organisation’s current executive to postpone the elections.

The candidates—former executive member Keith Simpson, Denise Hernandez, Maurice Alexander and Steadson Jack—were initially seeking an injunction stopping the triennial elections. After both parties agreed to a consent order, Rahim adjourned the matter to December 3, when a trial will begin. The details of the consent order were being discussed by both parties up to yesterday evening.

In their lawsuit, the candidates are challenging steelpan’s governing body, who said previously that their (the candidates) nomination papers were invalid. The candidates belong to a slate—New Visionaries—led by Tobago’s Beverly Ramsey-Moore. The slate’s main competitor in the election is the current executive led by incumbent president Keith Diaz.

The elections were due to take place on Sunday at the Capital Plaza, former the Crowne Plaza, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain. The group was represented by Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.