The High Court has refused an urgent ex parte application filed by calypsonian Kurt Allen in a bid to stop the Trinbago Unified Calypsonians’ Organisation (TUCO) election scheduled for July 12, 2026.
In an order dated July 3, 2026, and issued by Justice Frank Seepersad, the court ruled that it was not satisfied to grant the interim relief at this stage of the proceedings.
The application was filed against TUCO, the First Defendant, along with Ainsley King and Shirlane Hendrickson as Second and Third Defendants, respectively.
According to the order, the court considered the Claim Form, Statement of Case and Certificate of Urgency, all filed on July 3, 2026.
The matter was determined in chambers without a hearing.
“The court refuses the grant of an ex parte order as sought,” the order stated.
However, the court directed that Allen must serve the defendants with the claim documents, certificate of urgency and a notice of application for injunctive relief by 4 pm on Monday, July 6, 2026.
The court further ordered that a hearing of the application for injunctive relief be fixed before the docketed judge on a date prior to the scheduled July 12 election.
Costs in the matter will be determined by the assigned judge.
The legal challenge stems from Allen’s claim that TUCO’s planned election breaches its constitution, with arguments that the earliest lawful date for the vote is August 21, 2026, and that proceeding on July 12 would be improper.
The substantive issues are yet to be determined by the court.
