Is wall case heading for conclusion?
It’s never over til it’s over and we are really not sure when the by now notorious case of the Fort Street Tourism Village will end. The case did move forward this morning and News Five’s Marion Ali was at the Supreme Court.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh, this morning made a proposal to both sides to put an end to the saga once and for all. This followed a visit to the Village and the boardwalk over which the contention arose. Since the court had previously ruled that the wall be torn down to allow free access, the Village has erected steel barricades and destroyed two portions of the boardwalk. Attorney for the two plaintiffs, Senior Counsel Fred Lumor, shared the detail of the CJ’s proposal.
Fred Lumor, Attorney, Brown Sugar/Harbourview Companies
“Good senses prevailed and the Chief Justice called us into Chambers and it was the consensus that ten days will be given to F.S.T.V. to repair the boardwalk within ten days. And then we come back to court on the thirtieth for the court to confirm that there’s strict compliance with the court order. So that is why we have adjourned the matter to the thirtieth of May. It was also said in chambers that all the barricades be removed so the understanding, there will be removal of all obstructions.”
Lumor’s arguments were bolstered by photographs taken at different intervals of F.S.T.V.’s action.
Fred Lumor
“We tried to show that it was intentional; this is what happened this morning.”
Marion Ali
“You think this is the end of it?”
Fred Lumor
“Hopefully this might be the end of it.”
But that is far from the end of it for Lumor’s legal counterpart in the matter, Rodwell Williams, who is representing F.S.T.V.
Rodwell Williams, Attorney, F.S.T.V.
“There’s an appeal which, hopefully, will be on in a few weeks in June, the next sitting of the Court of Appeal. Court comes on the second of June I believe, so we’ll be in the Court of Appeal.”
Marion Ali
“What will that appeal be about?”
Rodwell Williams
“We’re appealing the declarations and the order to break down the wall.”
Marion Ali
“With regard to today’s ruling though, to replace the boardwalk …”
Rodwell Williams
“There is no ruling today as such, no ruling today. The case has not really been heard as you may notice that the case … it’s part heard.”
And while the legal battles may very well continue, for the two companies, the whole dilemma has brought on significant business losses.
Christian Riveroll, Gen. Man., Brown Sugar
“Well over twenty million dollars we have lost in this project. Since we’ve undertaken this project a few years ago it’s been, up to this point, we’re twenty million dollars or more in the red and it is very much hurting our business.”
But whether F.S.T.V will follow the C.J.’s recommendation is yet to be seen. Meanwhile, Riveroll says his company has not yet decided whether they will sue F.S.T.V. for the losses. Reporting for News Five, I am Marion Ali.
