MOMENTS before reggae singer Reano “Busy Signal” Gordon was due to perform at Saturday’s “Together As One” concert, he was taken to court for failing to repay over US$37,000 due to a local promoter for the past two years.
Around 6.30 p.m. following an emergency hearing, Justice Rahim issued a warrant for Gordon’s arrest. He was taken to court around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday.
The promoter’s attorneys Michael Rooplal and Carina Jailal had filed an application for a fugae warrant pursuant to the Absconding Debtors Act. According to court documents, the claim was based on Gordon’s failure to return $37,088 paid to him in 2013 to perform at a concert for Peppers Entertainment in May of that year. Peppers Entertainment of St Ann’s and Gordon of Jamaica had agreed to postpone the concert with the money that was paid to Gordon going towards his performance fee for the rescheduled event. Documents said that Gordon did not deduct this sum from a future concert and also did not repay the money.
The promoters claimed for damages for breach of contract in the sum of $37,088 and for interests and costs.
Rahim ordered that court marshalls immediately arrest Gordon and that he be released if he paid to the promoter the US$37,088 or the equivalent in Trinidad and Tobago currency. If not, it was ordered that he appear before a judge in chambers on Saturday night.
Gordon was taken into custody while at the hotel he was staying. At the court, around 10.30 p.m., he entered into a consent order to pay US$15,000. The balance is to be paid in the next 30 days. Gordon who was represented by attorney Fareed Ali was released.
The “Together as One” concert was held at the Queen’s Park Savannah, Port of Spain.