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The Trinidad and Tobago Court of Appeal has reinforced interim orders that prevent the transfer of two Muslim prison officers, Javed Boodram and Sherwin Ramnarine, while their constitutional challenge to a grooming rule continues. The court’s decision keeps the officers at their current postings.The officers contend that General Order No 104 of 2006, which requires male prison officers to be clean‑shaven, infringes upon their constitutional right to freedom of conscience and religious belief. They argue that keeping a beard is a religious tenet.After issuing pre‑action protocol letters in February 2023, the officers were notified of impending transfers to the Port of Spain Prison and removal from the Emergency Response Unit at Golden Grove Prison. A High Court judge granted interim relief, halting the moves until the case is resolved. The Attorney General’s Office later applied to set aside those orders, but the appeal court rejected the request.Justices Prakash Moosai and Charmaine Pemberton found the trial judge was “plainly wrong” in concluding the transfers were punitive or illegal. The court noted insufficient evidence at the interim stage and emphasized that the Commissioner of Prisons’ power to transfer officers requires fuller consideration.With the interim orders in place, Boodram and Ramnarine remain at their original postings as the litigation over the grooming rule proceeds. The case underscores the ongoing tension between institutional standards and religious freedom in the prison system.
The Trinidad and Tobago Court of Appeal has reinforced interim orders that prevent the transfer of two Muslim prison officers, Javed Boodram and Sherwin Ramnarine, while their constitutional challenge to a grooming rule continues. The court’s decision keeps the officers at their current postings.
The officers contend that General Order No 104 of 2006, which requires male prison officers to be clean‑shaven, infringes upon their constitutional right to freedom of conscience and religious belief. They argue that keeping a beard is a religious tenet.
After issuing pre‑action protocol letters in February 2023, the officers were notified of impending transfers to the Port of Spain Prison and removal from the Emergency Response Unit at Golden Grove Prison. A High Court judge granted interim relief, halting the moves until the case is resolved. The Attorney General’s Office later applied to set aside those orders, but the appeal court rejected the request.
Justices Prakash Moosai and Charmaine Pemberton found the trial judge was “plainly wrong” in concluding the transfers were punitive or illegal. The court noted insufficient evidence at the interim stage and emphasized that the Commissioner of Prisons’ power to transfer officers requires fuller consideration.
With the interim orders in place, Boodram and Ramnarine remain at their original postings as the litigation over the grooming rule proceeds. The case underscores the ongoing tension between institutional standards and religious freedom in the prison system.
News Desk is the editorial publishing account for Tringlobe Media News, covering breaking news, public affairs, entertainment, community developments and regional stories across Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean and internationally.
