PBR mall tenant threatens to take PTSC to court for contempt

A Public Transport Corporation (PTSC) mall tenant has demanded that the corporation rescind an eviction notice she received eight days ago.

Attorneys Michael Rooplal and Vishan Girwar wrote to PTSC general manager Davis Ragoonanan on Wednesday, giving him until 4 pm on Friday to withdraw the eviction notice given to Myntie Chaitan on June 2.

Girwar said if this is not done, Chaitan will initiate contempt proceedings against the PTSC.

The corporation was reminded that Chaitan’s tenancy was the subject of litigation now before Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh who, in December 2018, and again in May 2019, granted and extended an injunction preventing PTSC from removing tenants from the PTSC transit malls.

Chaitan runs Trinimints Sewing Shop at the San Juan transit mall.

As part of the judge’s order, the tenants were to settle their arrears, failing which the injunction would be discharged.

Girwar said Chaitan settled all her outstanding arrears which was acknowledged by PTSC’s attorneys in court.

The attorney said, therefore, the injunction remained in place in relation to Chaitan’s tenancy and PTSC cannot lawfully determine her tenancy. To do so, he warned, would amount to a contempt of court.

Chaitan was given until June 30 to give up her booth at the mall.

In his decision in May, Boodoosingh continued an injunction in favour of some 27 PTSC Priority Bus Route mall tenants.

The tenants were at the San Juan, Curepe and Tunapuna transit malls. As part of the legal action, those in Port of Spain and Arima are resisting the PTSC’s quit notices and the corporation’s increase in their rent from $7 to $14 per square foot.