Senior Counsel Wilfred Elrington Loses Appeal, Ordered to Pay Hundreds of Thousands in Damages

Senior Counsel Wilfred Elrington will have to cough up hundreds of thousands of dollars after he lost an appeal at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).  The matter is over 15 years old, and today the final appellate court released its ruling, which is essentially a stay on the ruling from the Court of Appeal.  Back in 2019, Elrington, who was a government minister at the time, had the Lands Department freeze more than 300 acres of land belonging to Progresso Heights Limited (PHL).  Having some 20 percent shares in the company, and having had a fall-out with the majority shareholders, Lawrence and Adam Schneider, the senior counsel lodged several cautions on the 100 parcels of land, making it impossible for the Schneiders to sell the properties.  The Court of Appeal ruled in 2019, that Elrington acted unlawfully, and said he was responsible for the majority shareholders losing money in their real estate business.  As a result, he was ordered to pay three hundred thousand dollars in compensation and damages.  He appealed the decision, but that did not go in his favour, as the CCJ has now ordered him to pay the three hundred thousand plus the costs of the appeal which the parties would determine.  The lead judgment of the CCJ was handed down by Justice Maureen Rajnauth-Lee with a concurring opinion rendered by Justice Winston Anderson.  The matter was heard by President Saunders and Justices Anderson, Rajnauth-Lee, Burgess, and Jamadar. Paulette Elrington-Cyrille appeared as legal counsel for Elrington whil Priscilla Banner acted for Progresso Heights Limited.