Appeals court reserves judgement in Mrs Ram-BWA dispute

The Court of Appeal has reserved its judgement in the civil lawsuit involving businesswoman Asha Mrs Ram Mirchandani and the Barbados Water Authority.   

A court can reserve judgment by giving its decision at a later date in writing, following a trial or hearing.

The appeal case of Casa Grande Inc versus the BWA is the latest chapter of the saga between the authority and Mirchandani’s hotel over an unauthorized water connection and the disconnection of the water supply.

It stemmed from the action taken by the BWA against the hotel when it discovered an illegal connection to Casa Grande, at Oldbury, St Philip. The hotel was also in arrears – about $250,000 – which resulted in disconnection in November 2018.

Casa Grande brought the matter against the BWA on several grounds including a claim that it had no lawful authority to disconnect the water whether it was under the regulations or whether it was under the BWA Act.

Attorneys for the two sides – Gregory Nicholls for BWA and Erza Alleyne for Casa Grande Inc – made submissions before Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham,  Justice Margaret Reifer and Justice Francis Belle.