Trinidad and Tobago’s Appeal Court has ordered an expedited hearing of the judicial review and constitutional challenge brought by businessman Dominic Hadeed and his wife, Genevieve, over Preventive Detention Orders (PDOs) issued against them during the State of Emergency.
The ruling came after attorney Gerald Ramdeen, representing the State, told Justices of Appeal Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell and Joan Charles that, while the State was not consenting to the application, it was not opposing an expedited hearing in light of the couple’s continued detention and fresh medical evidence indicating that Dominic Hadeed’s health has deteriorated.
Ramdeen said the new medical evidence justified urgent consideration of the case and argued that it would be more beneficial for the matter to proceed quickly before the High Court than continue with the procedural appeal.
The Appeal Court subsequently ordered that the judicial review and constitutional claim be given accelerated and urgent treatment.
The Hadeeds had appealed a July 17 decision by High Court Justice Vigel Paul to adjourn the proceedings until mid-September.
The latest ruling comes one week after another panel of the Appeal Court ordered that the couple be released from prison and placed under house arrest. However, they remain at the Golden Grove Prison after a separate panel, led by Chief Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, stayed that order pending the State’s appeal to the London based Privy Council.
The Privy Council has since advised that the appeal cannot be heard before October, meaning the Hadeeds are expected to remain in custody until at least September 17, when the State of Emergency expires, unless the stay is lifted.
Also being held under a Preventive Detention Order is 70-year-old Star Sabga, a relative of the Hadeeds, whose constitutional challenge is scheduled to be heard before the High Court on Friday