Judge stops transfer of city CEO

A HIGH Court judge yesterday stopped the transfer of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the San Fernando City Corporation Marlene Coudray to the Point Fortin Borough Corporation. Justice Carlton Best, presiding in the San Fernando High Court, ordered that the Statutory Authority Services Commission (SASC) be restrained from transferring Coudray. On Tuesday, Coudray filed a judicial review application against the transfer alleging political victimisation. In an affidavit, Coudray, who has been City Clerk for over 20 years, named Prime Minister Patrick Manning and “high-ranking officials” of the People’s National Movement as persons who were allegedly responsible for initiating her transfer.

After hearing legal arguments from attorney Anand Ramlogan, Justice Best ordered that the SASC not transfer Coudray on the basis of a letter she received from the Commission to that effect dated December 3, 2003. The judge also ordered that Ramlogan serve the necessary documents on the Commission not later than next week Tuesday. He also ordered that his ruling against the transfer, continue until the hearing and outcome of the substantive case regarding Coudray’s transfer. The case was adjourned to January 23. Coudray, who served as City Clerk for over 20 years, later held a press conference at her attorney’s office. She declined, however, to speak to the media about the matter except through her attorney.