Youth For the Future Pgm. Moves Unto Disputed Land

Who says that the Youth for the Future programme won't have its headquarters on the disputed UDP property? Well that's what we understood from the order of the Appeals Court a week ago - which issued its judgement against the UDP - but granted a stay of execution on that judgement. That means that until the matter is heard by the Privy council as much as two years from now, neither the government nor the UDP should make any moves on the land. But that all went out the door this morning when workers moved into the vacant building beside the opposition's headquarters and started to get it readied up as the head office for youth for the future. Attorney General Godfrey Smith today energetically defended this sudden change of direction:
Attorney General, Godfrey Smith
"Yes there is a stay that means that nothing should be done that could prejudice the interests of either party. The UDP is there. They are carrying out their activities at the Headquarters - if a building is entered and occupied it does no harm. If the matter does reach the Privy Council and the Privy Council says all this belongs to the UDP then obviously the people who are in there will have to come out. Now it's a different thing is the government starts to build new things and create and expand and so on because they could be put in a position where the Court of Appeal is reversed. But to simply use the offices, I don't think creates any material prejudice or indeed any prejudice at all to the rights of either side, regardless of what the outcome is."
Jules Vasquez
"So, it isn't flying in the face of the spirit of a stay, regardless of the technical considerations?"
Godfrey Smith
"I could not put it better than that, I do not believe that it flies in the spirit of the stay ordered by the Court of Appeal."
Speaking by telephone with opposition leader and former AG Dean Barrow this evening - he scoffed at Smith's position. He said it is clearly a violation of the court's order - which stipulated that the land remains in the exclusive occupation of the udp. He called the move highhanded, insolent and a demonstration of incompetence by government's legal advisors. But even with all that, Barrow was not so quick to challenge Youth for the Future. Conceding that it is a politically delicate matter - he said he is weighing his options on whether he will ask the court to enforce the order, or just leave it as is.