EOT Chairman appeals judgement in Veera Bhajan case
Equal Opportunity Tribunal (EOT) Chairman Donna Prowell-Rapahel has signalled her intention to appeal High Court Judge Avason Quinlan-Williams judgement ina lawsuit over EOT lay assessor Veera Bhajan being blocked from taking up her appointment.
In a press release issued a short while ago, the EOTs Protocol Department said that while the tribunal does not intend to appeal the orders pronounced by Justice Quinlan-Williams on Tuesday, Prowell-Rapahel has decided to appeal the findings against her based on advice from her legal team headed by Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.
The release suggested that Prowell-Raphael was advised that Justice Quinlan-Williams made serious errors of law which precipitated erroneous declarations and the corresponding award of damages.
Senior Counsel advised that the judge had no jurisdiction because no sustainable claim with a cause of action to obtain damages was pleaded, the release said.He (Maharaj) further advised that the awards were inconsistent with established principles of law and that the adverse comments made against the Chairman were unsupported by any evidence in the case, it added.The tribunal claimed that in the lawsuit Bhajan never raised allegations of discrimination on the basis of race, disability or hate.Hence there was neither necessity nor reason for the Tribunal and or the Chairman to consider and or defend these scandalous and unfounded suggestions, it said.
It claimed that the lawsuit dealt with transparency and fairness of legislative appointments and sought to decide whether public officers should be paid from the date of their appointments or from the date of their assumption of office.
In a press release issued a short while ago, the EOTs Protocol Department said that while the tribunal does not intend to appeal the orders pronounced by Justice Quinlan-Williams on Tuesday, Prowell-Rapahel has decided to appeal the findings against her based on advice from her legal team headed by Senior Counsel Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj.
The release suggested that Prowell-Raphael was advised that Justice Quinlan-Williams made serious errors of law which precipitated erroneous declarations and the corresponding award of damages.
Senior Counsel advised that the judge had no jurisdiction because no sustainable claim with a cause of action to obtain damages was pleaded, the release said.He (Maharaj) further advised that the awards were inconsistent with established principles of law and that the adverse comments made against the Chairman were unsupported by any evidence in the case, it added.The tribunal claimed that in the lawsuit Bhajan never raised allegations of discrimination on the basis of race, disability or hate.Hence there was neither necessity nor reason for the Tribunal and or the Chairman to consider and or defend these scandalous and unfounded suggestions, it said.
It claimed that the lawsuit dealt with transparency and fairness of legislative appointments and sought to decide whether public officers should be paid from the date of their appointments or from the date of their assumption of office.
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