He must pay for my hurt

The jilted woman from central Trinidad said she spent $30,000 on the function and invited 100 people. She says he must pay for the hurt he put her through and has been advised by her attorney Stephen Boodram that the Penal man may be in breach of the common law principle which governs the relationship between people planning to marry.

The woman requested anonymity because of, what she described as, the untold embarrassment caused on April 29. So depressed was she over the incident, she retreated to her bedroom and slit her left wrist. She had to be taken to the San Fernando General Hospital.

A pre-action protocol letter has been sent to the man who decided he was no longer interested in a continued relationship with the woman. In the letter, the woman said her parents purchased the food, drinks, the boyfriend’s gold and diamond engagement ring costing $5000, and her dress which cost $6000. The letter suggested to the man that he failed to show up without any valid reason.

“As a result, my client was put through severe embarrassment, hurt, mental trauma and suffered loss and expenses.” The case is a novel one that would engage a judge in the High Court who would try the issue of breach of contract. The last such case in which a judgement was delivered, was 17 years ago in which a Tableland woman won her claim against a Penal man for breach of promise to marry her.

He was ordered to pay compensation for the expenses she incurred, however the man died.

Boodram’s letter calls on the man to pay compensation to the woman. In an interview with Newsday yesterday outside the Supreme Court, San Fernando, the woman said on the day of the engagement party, her parents had to turn away guests and closed the gates to their home.

“Since then, I don’t step outside my house,” the woman said. “I go to work and come back home.

People on work do not know, except for close friends. My father suffered a heart attack and has since had an operation. I was shamed and only now I’m trying to pick up the pieces. Money cannot pay for the hurt I was put through, but it will help alleviate the pain knowing there is still justice.”