The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) has been barred by a Supreme Court order from convening its July 10 annual general meeting to select its next president.
Justice Tracy-Ann Johnson ordered today that the injunction must remain in force until the determination of a claim brought against the JAS by Lawrence ‘Larry’ Robertson, who is the parish president of the JAS for Portland and a board member of the organisation.
Robertson, in his claim filed last year, is seeking a declaration that the annual general meeting of the JAS is null and void without the presentation of the audited financial statement of the association along with the funds held on behalf of the society by the parish branches, which have not been paid over to the JAS.
In July last year, an interim injunction was granted to Robertson which barred the JAS from convening it’s AGM to select a president.
An order was also made by the court giving the JAS, which is the defendant, time to file an affidavit in response to the suit filed by Robertson.
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Attorney-at-law Duke Foote, instructed by attorney-at-law Hugh Wildman, appeared for the claimant today.
So far, the defendant has not filed an affidavit in response to the claim and no representative of the defendant has made an appearance in the matter since the suit was filed in 2023.
On April 12, the matter came before Justice Opal Smith and following submissions made by Foote, the judge ruled that should the defendant not file the required documents, the interim injunction that was granted should remain in place until the determination of the substantive claim.
The JAS has recently given notice to its members that the AGM is scheduled to take place on July 10.
Today, Foote submitted that the court should give effect to the order made on April 12.
Justice Johnson then ruled that the injunction should remain in force until Robertson’s claim was heard and determined.
The first hearing of the fixed date claim form is set for September 19 in chambers.
– Barbara Gayle
