In a watershed decision today, October 8, 2025, the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice JoAnn Barlow, upheld a March ruling by the High Court that the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Government must pay former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) ret’d Lt. Colonel Lelon Saul of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) for the remaining 29 months of his contract. In her judgment, Justice Barlow declared the government’s appeal “has no merit” and insisted that Saul “ought not to suffer the delay in being awarded the judgment” already granted.
Saul, who was terminated on August 25, 2020, had earlier secured victory in the High Court on March 18, 2025, when acting Chief Justice Roxanne George‑Wiltshire, S.C., ruled that his dismissal was unlawful. Underlying Saul’s legal victory is the High Court’s finding that Minister of Housing and Water Colin Croal lacked authority to terminate Saul directly, as that power resided with the CHPA Board, making the dismissal unlawful. The government had appealed that decision, challenging both the minister’s authority and whether Saul’s contract could be subject to judicial review.
Upon his High Court victory in March, Saul stated,
“This judgment not only vindicates my position but also reinforces the importance of fairness and the rule of law in our society.”
He acknowledged that while no amount of compensation could fully erase the toll the experience had on him, the ruling gave him the opportunity to move forward with his life and career. Speaking to Village Voice News today, Saul said his “faith in the judiciary to uphold the rule of law was not in vain.”
Saul was represented by attorney‑at‑law Darren Wade, who sought $500,000 in costs, citing the government’s alleged abuse of the court process. The appeal court awarded instead $150,000, to be paid within four weeks of today’s decision.
Saul was among a number of public servants terminated shortly after the PPP returned to office in August 2020, following a widespread purge of individuals appointed during the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) administration. His case has become symbolic of what many have described as a politically motivated witch‑hunt.
The court reaffirmed the earlier ruling that Minister Croal acted ultra vires—beyond his legal power—when he moved to terminate Saul’s contract. According to the court’s decision, only the CHPA Board has the authority to hire or dismiss its CEO.
