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alexk
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Six members of Pan Trinbago’s central executive have sued president Keith Diaz and two senior members of the pan body following a move to oust them from the organisation.
Secretary Richard Forteau, treasurer Andrew Salvador, PRO Michael Joseph, external relations officer Darren Sheppard and trustees Allan Augustus and Trevor Reid claim an extraordinary meeting facilitated by Diaz at which the decision was taken was illegal.
They are also suing Gerard Mendez and Marie Toby, who chair the organisation’s Northern and Tobago Zones and who were chosen at the meeting to be part of a caretaker committee to oversee the organisation’s operations until an election is called later this year. The elections were expected to be called in October, but the committee had been mandated to determine if the date can be brought forward in light of the decision.
The lawsuit came up for hearing before Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh in the Port-of-Spain High Court on Friday but was adjourned to Wednesday as Diaz, Mendez and Toby indicated that they are still in the process of retaining attorneys.
In addition to financial compensation and orders deeming the meeting and subsequent decision unlawful, the group is also seeking immediate reinstatement, as well as an injunction stopping decisions taken at the meeting from taking effect until the lawsuit is determined.
In an affidavit filed pursuant to the claim, Forteau said Pan Trinbago’s constitution requires that the secretary facilitate such meetings but he was excluded from the process for the extraordinary meeting, as well as another held in March. He also questioned whether there was the appropriate quorum of members to requisition the meeting.
Pan Trinbago’s constitution states that 60 per cent of the membership—122 out of 204 steelbands—is required to call a meeting, Forteau claims only 85 bands were represented in the requisition sent to Diaz last month.
He further claimed that from his analysis some of the signatures on the requisition were of two delegates from same band, which is illegal as each band is allotted one vote.
While he admitted that members are allowed to call a meeting to oust the central executive, Forteau contended that they had to follow the organisation’s guidelines.
“Even if the majority of Pan Trinbago members were minded to remove us from office before the expiry of our term, the manner in which they have done is callous, totally disregards all natural justice provisions,” he said.
“We were not summoned to any disciplinary procedure. We were not present at the meeting that removed us. We have not been notified of our removal except in the press.”
Forteau claims the move was initiated by Diaz after the executive questioned several decisions he allegedly made in relation to tickets for this year’s Panorama competition.
The group is being represented by Farid Scoon.