A major legal challenge involving the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service Social and Welfare Association has come to a close. In a highly anticipated judgment delivered earlier today, the High Court has ruled that former Association President Anand Ramesar is eligible to contest the Association's 2025 executive elections. Urvashi Tiwari Roopnarine has the full story.
00:00On Wednesday, Justice Frank C. Passard handed down his decision in the constitutional claim brought by a group of police officers known as Voices in Blue.
00:10Voices in Blue were due to contest the Police Service Social and Welfare Association elections this year.
00:16They challenged the legality of the elections and specifically sought to bar Anand Ramisar from running again as president.
00:25In the end, the court ruled against them.
00:27The claimant's seven officers from various branches of the police service argued that Ramisar had already served the maximum of three consecutive terms on the executive committee as outlined in the association's amended 2025 constitution.
00:42But in his ruling, Justice C. Passard disagreed.
00:45He found that while Ramisar served three terms, two as president from 2010 to 2016 and one as secretary from 2016 to 2019, there was a six-year break in service between 2019 and 2025.
01:03The judge emphasized that the rules speak specifically to consecutive terms, meaning terms served without interruption.
01:10The court stressed that if it accepted the claimant's interpretation, it would effectively erase the word consecutive from the rule, something the court could not do.
01:21As a result, Justice C. Passard ruled that Ramisar is eligible to contest the association's 2025 election.
01:28In the same judgment, the court also noted earlier disputes in the matter had been resolved amicably, including the status of SRPs, municipal and transit police officers, who are now officially to be recognized as association members with full voting rights.
01:46Justice C. Passard encouraged the association to reflect on the deeper issues the case revealed.
01:50He called on the TTPS to revamp its internal processes, saying a unified and focused effort is required to restore public trust in the police service, especially at a time when its reputation remains, quote-unquote, battered.
02:05All injunctive reliefs were discharged and the case was dismissed, with the way now being clear for Ramisar to contest the association's upcoming election.
Be the first to comment