After seven years, hearings have begun for the payment of bills of cost for a matter originating in 2015 as a result of failed election petitions filed by the United National Congress (UNC).
On Tuesday, the Chairman of the People’s National Movement and Acting Prime Minister, Stuart Young, explained the origin of the matter.
“You all would recall that in 2015, after the General Election in September of 2015, there were challenges to I believe five of the results of that General Election by the Opposition United National Congress where they filed five election petitions, it’s my recollection, it might be actually be more at that time challenging the results on a number of grounds including, you all would remember that General Election there was some inclement weather that affected persons getting out to vote and the EBC took the decision to extend the polling time by a period of time.”
Mr. Young said after losing the matter, the UNC then appealed and lost again in 2017.
“Immediately the successful People’s National Movement, upon getting orders for cost both in its favour, at High Court in the first instance as well as the Court of Appeal, taxed its bills in 2018. So since 2018 the People’s National Movement had filed bills of cost to recover the cost of these actions.”
Following this, the UNC failed to file its written objections to the PNM’s bills of costs and on Tuesday, both the PNM and the EBC’s lawyers objected to the matter being delayed further and indicated their readiness to proceed.
The court determined that the matters would be heard.