Jensen La Vende
Senior Reporter
jensen.lavende@guardian.co.tt
A Debe dentist has been ordered to repay the outstanding balance of a loan she guaranteed for her former boyfriend.
In an oral ruling delivered yesterday, High Court Judge Frank Seepersad found that Sharmila Ramroop is liable for $125,000, the remaining balance on a $250,000 loan.
Siparia businessman Gerard Tang Foon brought the claim against Ramroop, stating that he had entered into an investment agreement in 2021 with her and her then-partner, Farand Deonanan, for the latter’s taxi service company, Package Taxi Ltd. Ramroop acted as guarantor for the loan.
Tang Foon said he suffered substantial financial losses after advancing the funds. He later learned through media reports that Deonanan had been imprisoned for larceny convictions related to fraudulent car sales.
He further contended that Package Taxi Ltd, of which both Ramroop and Deonanan were directors, was effectively a “shelf company” with no significant assets. He argued that Ramroop indirectly benefited from the loan, despite her claims that she was unaware of the company’s operations.
In delivering his decision, Seepersad stated: “The defendant made an unfortunate choice to align herself with Mr Deonanan, who ended up in prison, but she understood the terms of the guarantee. It must be remembered that every choice made has a resulting consequence, and the consequence in this case is that the defendant must now repay the balance owed.”
The judge rejected Ramroop’s defence that she signed the agreement under undue influence, finding that she was the most educated party involved and fully understood the nature of the arrangement.
“At the time she was pregnant, but there is no evidence to support her contention that her pregnancy affected her mental state. In fact, the evidence suggests that she continued to operate her practice, so her assertion as to incapacity is rejected,” Seepersad said.
He also ordered Ramroop to pay Tang Foon’s legal costs.
