Tax court facing shutdown

In other words, the board, a Court of Superior Record, is facing shutdown because there is nowhere to set up shop.

But the Board’s Chairman Anthony Gafoor is hoping that good sense would prevail and the authorities would find suitable accommodation as soon as possible.

Speaking at the first sitting of the board for the new law term, Gafoor said the board was directed by Chief Justice Sat Sharma in June to vacate the Hall of Justice by September 1.

"There was no notice or even a hint of an intention to eject the Tax Appeal Board from its purpose-built premises," Gafoor declared.

He continued, "This was a blow to our morale which always remained high in spite of our belief that the premises had become inadequate after some two decades of occupation from the date of the commissioning of the Hall of Justice. The order to move out was not accompanied by any countervailing order when to go."

Gafoor said it was not easy telling the staff. He said measures had to be put in place for the move and operate the court at the same time.

The chairman said the board sought and obtained Cabinet approval to move.

He said the board pleaded for new premises in light of the Chief Justice’s order. Gafoor admitted that the board had outgrown the space at the Hall of Justice, but it has been unable to find alternative accommodation.

Gafoor said he informed the Chief Justice of their inability to comply with his directive. "In the event that we are displaced without anywhere to go, this may result in the total shutdown of the court pending the resolution of the matter."

Gafoor disagreed with a statement by Sharma that the board "had no right to be there in the first place." He said the board had been placed in the Hall of Justice by Government shortly after it was built. He said successive chief justices recognised that fact.

"We trust that good sense will prevail and that due cognisance will be taken of the court’s status as a superior court of record as well as the yeoman service that this court has rendered to the people of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago over some 40 years of its existence."

Yesterday’s special sitting was the last for the board at the Hall of Justice. This was reflected in the light refreshments which showed a vast improvement over the previous four years.

And, as if to re-enforce the point that the board needs to move out, there was a power failure while refreshments were being served. This caused one lawyer to remark, "They really want to get all yuh out of here."