Sir Gerald describes Barbuda injunction as madness

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Noted senior lawyer, Sir Gerald Watt, QC, has strongly objected to a decision by a high court judge to grant an injunction halting construction of the international airport in Barbuda, describing it as “madness”.
Sir Gerald, whose law firm Watt, Dorsett and Company is handling the injunction on the behalf of the government, stated on the weekend, that the judge has refused to hear lawyers appearing for the Development Control Authority (DCA) because an affidavit was not filed.
“It’s madness! I do not like to criticise the court, but as a leading Queen’s Counsel in the country, I have to say it as I see it. It’s a bad decision, it’s madness you know,” Sir Gerald said.
He also said the judge granted an injunction to stop the project, which, he stated, is about 60 percent complete, without considering certain factors.
On August 2, High Court judge, Justice Rosalyn E. Wilkinson, instructed that all construction on the airport in Barbuda be stopped immediately.
The ruling was in favour of Barbudans, John Mussington and Jacklyn Frank, who, through their attorney Leslie Thomas QC, filed an application for leave for judicial review of the government’s decision to construct an airport in Barbuda.
They asked for an interim injunction while the substantive matter remains pending.
The application seeks to address what is being described as a failure by the central government to meet critical requirements under the Physical Planning Act 2003, in the development of the airport, and failure to follow proper planning procedures where the government has started or permitted construction.
Meanwhile, Sir Gerald also revealed that an appeal was filed by the government weeks ago and the judge has decided to hear it as a matter of priority.

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