Fired ADB boss wins in court

Madame Justice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy ruled yesterday that the company acted illegally, unreasonably and improperly exercised its discretion when it fired Singh. As a result the court ordered the bank to pay him damages.

ADB will also have to pay Singh’s legal costs. The judgment further stated, “the court holds the investment decision was so closely connected with the decision to terminate (Singh) that the justice of the case required the investment decision be investigated.”

Singh was fired on January 23, 2003, by the ADB Board led by Chairman Hubert Alleyne after the company claimed he neglected his duties by not implementing a decision of the Board to invest $4.5 million in CLICO.

ADB also claimed Singh compromised the company by distributing private and confidential information in a letter on the day he was fired. In a 46-page judgment yesterday, Tiwary-Reddy quashed the decision of the company to terminate Singh’s contract of employment for alleged misconduct.

Singh was represented by Dr Fenton Ramsahoye SC and Anand Ramlogan while the ADB lawyers were Elton Prescott SC and Phillip Lamont. In the judgment, Tiwary-Reddy ruled the company acted outside of the ADB Act in firing Singh.

Speaking on the court’s decision, Singh said he was anxious to get back into the professional world of work adding that he was unable to find employment since his termination. “I want to get back to what I am accustomed to and do it at my best.”