Portland's Stephen Williams loses nomination fight against JLP, ordered by court to pay costs

The Supreme Court today awarded costs to three Jamaica Labour Party executives as it refused an application brought by Stephen Williams who was seeking an injunction against the party for replacing him as its candidate in the St Margaret's Bay Division in Portland for the local government election.

The matter was heard by Justice Tara Carr.

Williams had applied for an injunction to restrain JLP chairman, Robert Montague, General Secretary, Dr Horace Chang, and the Chief Operating Officer of the party, Sharon Hay Webster, from moving ahead with the selection process to replace him.

Williams, through his attorney Hugh Wildman, had on January 3 filed an application for an injunction. 

After hearing the matter, the court ruled against the application for the injunction. 

The executive members of the JLP who were joined as parties to the lawsuit were all represented by attorney-at-law Neco Pagon. 

“What today's ruling did was to confirm that the selection process that was intended to take place on January 4 was consistent with the Constitution of the JLP,” he told The Gleaner.

“The allegations of Williams have no basis in law to have prevented the process,” Pagon added.

He said further that if an injunction was granted, it would not have changed the selection process in any event.

He explained that Williams would only remain as chairman for the division and that would not affect the candidacy.

Pagon said that the refusal of the injunction is a vindication and acknowledgement that the JLP respects the rule of law and that the party acted within its Constitution in the selection of the candidate for the St Margaret's Bay Division.

- Barbara Gayle

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