UWI student goes to court to overturn guild election results
Published:Wednesday | March 26, 2025 | 12:11 AMSashana Small/Staff Reporter -
University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona student Shaquille Ramsay has filed a lawsuit in the Supreme Court to overturn the results of the recent guild elections, claiming that he was unfairly prevented from running for president.
Ramsay is accusing Mark Nelson, returning officer for the UWI, Mona Guild of Students, and Perry Cummings Jr, outgoing president, who are named as first and second defendants, respectively, of breaching his constitutional rights.
Ramsay claimed that his rights, as well as those of the students who nominated him, were violated by the defendants and the guild’s actions prevented him from standing as a candidate for president. He argued that the alleged actions breached his right to protection against irrationality, unreasonableness, fundamental unfairness, and the arbitrary exercise of power.
Ramsay filed a lawsuit on Monday seeking, among other things, a declaration that the results from last week’s elections are “null and void”. He also filed an injunction to block the certification of the results.
The Guild of Students is the official student representation body at The UWI. Elections were held on March 20-21.
Cummings confirmed yesterday that the guild has received Ramsay’s lawsuit. He declined to respond to the claims, saying the guild is “allowing things to take its course, and awaiting guidance from our legal campus officer”.
In his filings, Ramsay said he was encouraged by “many students” to run for guild president. He said he decided to run because he is not disqualified from holding office and that the Guild Council had not taken any disciplinary action against him.
However, a May 2023 letter from the Guild Council, that Ramsay has disclosed to the court, noted that he was barred from holding student leadership positions for the remainder of his tenure at The UWI. That was based on an investigation surrounding his handling of certain affairs while serving as chairman of Chancellor Hall, an all-male student residence.
In a March 6, 2025 email, that Ramsay also disclosed, Dr Peter Glegg, legal officer, UWI Mona, pointed Ramsay’s lawyer to the Guild Council’s 2023 decisions. Glegg also expressed concerns that there could be an attempt to appeal the decisions two years later.
Ramsay did not address the specific allegations in his affidavit.
He claimed that Nelson made it difficult for him to be nominated for guild president.
He said he sought clarification and ultimately received the documentation on the last day for nomination, after threatening court action.
The February 21-dated nomination form was signed by Deveisha Lynch, Theresa Wilson, and Sidonie Blake, who are also named as claimants in the lawsuit. Ramsay said the guild office confirmed receipt of his nomination on the same day.
However, days before the nomination list was to be published, he said he “heard rumours” that Nelson and “persons ostensibly under his control” would be taking steps to prevent him from standing for election.
Ramsay said he asked his attorney, John Clarke, to write to Nelson to enquire about this “unlawful action”, but Nelson did not respond.
He said his name was not on the nomination list published on March 7 and he made numerous queries but received no explanation.
“Despite my best efforts, the 1st defendant (Nelson) remains recalcitrant and refuses to give due regard to my constitutional right to a fair hearing before adverse decisions are taken against me or to formally inform me of the reason(s) why any special qualification debars me from standing in the election,” he said.
Ramsay further claimed that the students who nominated him, and “the majority of UWI students were deprived of their constitutional right to vote at a guild election, which included all duly nominated persons for the office of guild president, including me”.
He also claimed a further breach of right to peaceful assembly and association, alleging that he was not allowed use of the Guild of Students’ premises.
Five students were nominated for the guild presidency which has been won by Roshaun Wynter, law student and the sitting chairman of Chancellor Hall.
The date for a hearing has not been set.