THE annual Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial, and Food Show will take place as planned later this month, but the spirit of the occasion could be dampened by a court action which has again delayed an election of new officers for the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS).

The Supreme Court on Monday sided with dissident branch society executives who went to court to stop the holding of an annual general meeting (AGM), announced for July 13, for failing to observe the general rules for allowing an election of officers prior to the annual agricultural show scheduled for July 30 to August 1 at the Denbigh show grounds in Clarendon.

The case was brought against the current leadership of the JAS — promoters of the 70-year-old event — for failing to follow the rules of the society in terms of electing its officials.

President of the Border JAS branch of rural St Andrew Ian Hill, contended in an affidavit to the court that the leadership of the society, headed by President Lenworth Fulton, had failed to issue the prescribed notice period in time for the branches to deliberate and reach a final decision on who to support in an election of a president to succeed him as head of the society.

“During the period, it is customary for a memo to be circulated to the presidents of the branches, naming the officers who are up for retirement from the board and those who are seeking re-election,” Hill noted.

He asked the court to restrain the JAS from convening an AGM which had been scheduled for Wednesday, July 13, and urged that an order date be set in accordance with the provisions of the JAS and by-laws pursuant to the JAS Act.

He also asked that notices be issued and published, inviting the submission of nominations for election to the board, and to the office of the president and vice-presidents, and all business be required to be transacted at the AGM “carried out according to law”.

According to Hill, the notice of the AGM, which was published on June 16, was short of the one calendar month requirement, which is mandatory.

The court subsequently ruled that the July 13 AGM be postponed, and that the case be tried, starting October 5.

Fulton, an agriculturalist who has been serving the sector for more than 30 years in various capacities — including as CEO of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, executive director of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, and managing director of the Jamaica Foundation and Spring Garden Farms — confirmed the court’s decision, but insisted that it would not seriously affect the annual Denbigh show.

“I hope not. It will affect some people’s enthusiasm, but not to a great extent. It is a legal issue as to who are eligible to chair the society. I am definitely going; I will not stay on [as president],” he told the Jamaica Observer, noting that he already overstayed his welcome with the frequent delays to holding of the AGM.

There was no sign of who will emerge as the next president of the society as the current vice-presidents have not shown any interest in taking on the leader. Trade unionist Clifton Grant, a vice-president of the University and Allied Workers union, has been considered a front-runner, along with Hill.

Grant, who heads the human resources committee of the society, told the Observer that while Fulton has been insisting that he is not qualified to lead the society he knows that his position is “constitutional”.