TRINIDAD-COURT-Finance Minister wins High Court case against UNC activist.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, A High Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by an opposition United National Congress (UNC) activist that challenged the decision of Finance Minister Colm Imbert to appoint businessman Patrick Ferreira as Chairman of the National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago (NIB).

Justice Jacqueline Wilson Monday ruled against Ravi Balgobin Maharaj, who in March had filed the lawsuit claiming that Imbert’s decision on Ferreira’s appointment, made in January 2022, was illegal, null, and void on the ground that Ferreira was not independent of the groups that comprise the NIB, namely government, business, and labor.

His attorneys, including the former attorney general Anand Ramlogan and UNC Senator Jayanti

Lutchmedial argued that by his past and current associations with business and government, Ferreira could not be said to be an individual who possesses the essential characteristics contemplated by the NIB legislation.

As a result, the lawyers for Maharaj argued that Ferreira was, therefore, incapable of holding the office of the Chairman.

In his defense, Imbert said that the National Insurance Act made it clear that while the Board shall act by the general policy directions of the government given by the Minister when exercising and performing its functions, powers, and duties, the Board shall be subject to the control or supervision of no other person or authority.

Imbert noted that eight previous chairmen of the NIB had significant business interests, including two appointments made by the former UNC-led People’s Partnership government that lost the 2015 general election.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Finance said that due to the High Court ruling that dismissed Maharaj’s application, Ferreira “will therefore continue to act as Chairman of the National Insurance Board until the expiration of his term in office.”