CEO decries humiliation after Clarendon MC hauls JAS to court

A breakdown in communication between the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) and the Clarendon Municipal Corporation is being blamed for the JAS CEO Christopher Emanuel having been hauled before the courts a month ago.

The court action stemmed from a 2016 move by the JAS to construct the Roger Clarke Food Court at its premises in Denbigh, Clarendon, under former President Norman Grant.

Construction reportedly began on the facility before the plans had been approved by the Clarendon Municipal Corporation.

Some time in March while at the JAS head office in downtown Kingston, Emmanuel was visited by a team of police officers working with the Clarendon Municipal Corporation.

“The whole thing started bad one Monday when I was at work and about six policemen from the municipality in Clarendon came to the JAS looking for me, walking up and down with guns in their hands a go all ‘bout a look for me. So everybody feel say a something me mix up inna,” said Emmanuel, who is contending that he was subjected to public humiliation. “Eventually, them leave a little piece of paper, which turned out to be not even a summons.”

When he turned up for court on March 31, he was placed in the prisoner’s dock.

“I was literally forced by the police to go into the dock, but I had an attorney there and he was wondering why. It turned out that the summons had been cancelled three days earlier because, how the council wanted to prosecute the JAS, it couldn’t work,” revealed Emmanuel.

Clarendon Municipal Corporation CEO Rowhan Blake admitted that they erred.

“ ... The clerk of the court found some issues with the summons and asked us to withdraw it, and instructed that, if we want to go further, we could resubmit. We are trying to resolve it outside of court. So we are going to meet with the JAS again ad give them some more time to submit the plan,” he told The Gleaner.

“It seem as if the communication broke down somewhere, and I think maybe that is why it reach that stage. But we are still committed to working with the JAS for an amicable resolution,” added Blake.

Following a meeting between the parties on Monday, it was agreed that the JAS would be given additional time to resubmit the plans.

Asked about the matter recently, Grant expressed surprised that the matter had still not been resolved.

“It is disappointing that they haven’t dealt with it [because] there was no issue. I went to the council and all they needed to do was to submit the drawings, which was left with the incoming administration to submit. That’s all they needed to do,” he said. “Preliminary drawings were done and taken to the parish council at my time. So really and truly I’m not capable to speak to that matter at all because that’s four ... and a half years ago. If they did not move forward to do those submissions, then it’s negligence, man. I can’t believe that.”

Blake said that the JAS had paid part of the building fee and showed officials at the municipality the plans.

“We went through it with them and told them to make some adjustments where necessary, but that was never submitted, and it is on our planning minutes as a matter that we are trying to resolve. But the plan has not been forthcoming, and so it was decided that we would pursue the matter in court,” he explained.

The JAS now needs to pay the outstanding fees and submit the plans, now that both parties have agreed to settle the matter out of court.

christopher.serju@gleanerjm.com