Can High Court Judgment be Cleared up with Mediation?

The interpretation of Justice Hondura’s High Court judgment is causing quite a bit of confusion. Barrow and his attorney, Doctor Christopher Malcolm, believe the decision is in their favor. Meanwhile, Panton and the Alliance for Democracy have a different take on the ruling. Panton hopes that the mediation process will clear up any ambiguities and bring some clarity to the situation.

 

Tracy Taegar-Panton, Albert Area Representative

“The mediation process will help to clarify what is written in the judgment, so maybe we can start there.  I have read that judgment on more than one occasion to be sure that we are not flouting or acting in contravention of the order and as far as my legal advice tells me and as far as I am able to comprehend from reading English, we are not in contravention of the court order.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“I am being made to understand that on a previous occasion, Dr. Christopher Malcolm, who represents Shyne Barrow and the executive of the UDP, as it were, has made every effort to reach out to Senior Counsel Ellis Arnold and King’s Counsel Peter Knox where the mediation issue is concerned and they are saying that Ellis Arnold never really budged in terms of responding to that request that you guys come to the table.”

 

Tracy Taegar-Panton

“It’s so improper.  You know, all of that is so improper and hinges on being unethical.  There’s a matter before the court, Mr. Barrow has counsel and Tracy Panton has counsel, and the judge has met with those counsels, both counsels, and has addressed them on what his decisions are and how the process will progress.  It is for none of us. Not Shyne, not Tracy, to make any pronouncements on what is happening between the two attorneys.  What is happening [is that] this process is being facilitated by the court, it’s being led by the judge’s decisions and I certainly am not going to make the same mistake that I believe the other side has made.”

 

Isani Cayetano

“If you’re going into the mediation process with a view that perhaps you can resolve the issue ahead of the general election being called, are you or would you be in a position to acknowledge Shyne Barrow’s leadership going into an election?”

 

Tracy Taegar-Panton

“I don’t know what the mediation process is going to yield.  I don’t know what proposals are going to be placed before us for consideration and so that would be premature for me to pronounce on.  I am saying to you that we are going into the mediation process with the hope that we can find a reasonable solution going forward that does not silence the voices of the people and does not negate the decisions taken by our decision makers of the party.”