High Court blocks private university from construction works at Critchlow college

Last Updated on Saturday, 28 March 2026, 20:12 by Writer

High Court Judge, Fidela Corbin-Lincoln on Friday blocked the privately-owned University of Excellence, Management and Business Inc (UEMBI) from engaging in any construction works at Critchlow Labour College, Woolford Avenue pending the hearing and determination of a case concerning the validity of a lease agreement.

At issue is whether the agreement with the CLC principal is valid although he allegedly had no authority to do so and it was signed when the college company, Critchlow Labour College Inc (CLCI) had been struck off the company’s register.

The judge issued the temporary injunction after hearing differing accounts about the status of construction works from CLCI’s lawyer, Roysdale Forde and UEMBI’s lawyer, Joelle Harmon.

“I am informed that my clients are continuing to be excluded from the property and there is some form of construction taking place,” said Mr Forde who added that his clients were unable to see the entire range of the premises but were informed by other tenants that was the case.

He said the respondent, UEMBI President Stanley Paul, was still excluding others from the premises.

He maintained that there had never been compliance with the requirements or the cease order by the city engineer.

“There is currently no construction. I don’t know who is informing my Learned Senior. There is no, currently, no construction happening,” Ms Harmon said.

She added that Mr Paul informed her that “there is no construction currently ongoing and there is not going to be any further construction until this substantive matter is resolved.”

The CLCI, represented by trade unionist Lincoln Lewis, and the UEMBI are at legal loggerheads over the validity of the lease by the college and whether the college principal was legally empowered to ink an agreement with the UEMBI.

The judge queried whether the agreement was made while the CLCI was struck off the register.

The hearing has been fixed for April 7.

Mr Paul is maintaining that the lease agreement he inked with the CLC principal is valid. “In particular I specifically deny the Applicant’s allegation that the Third Respondent, Dr. Ivor B. English, had no authority to negotiate, execute, and/or bind the Applicant to the tenancy arrangement pleaded herein, and I say that at all material times he held himself out, and was represented to me, as the person authorised to act for and bind the Applicant in relation to the premises,” he said.

Mr Paul said in keeping with the agreement, whose initial term is 15 years from June 4, 2025, with automatic renewal, rent was fixed at GY$1 million monthly from September 1, 2025 and advance rent of GY$4 million was paid and acknowledged.