REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
1 In this matter the appellant made an application at the outset of the hearing of the appeal to file an Amended Notice of Appeal to raise two new grounds that were not canvassed before the judge below. We note that the appellant has informed the Court that it is not proposed to press the grounds in the Notice of Appeal as it presently stands, but to simply rely on the two new grounds.
2 The view of the Court is that leave to amend the Notice of Appeal in order to raise the matters which were not canvassed at first instance should be refused because of the lateness of the application; the absence of any satisfactory explanation as to why the matters were not raised before the primary judge although the appellant had legal representation; and the fact that it may be unfair to the respondent, who may have been able to call evidence at first instance to rebut the proposed allegations, if they had been made at that stage.
3 We are also of the view that the merits in the matter on the part of the appellant are not sufficiently strong to warrant the exercise of the Court exercising its discretion in favour of allowing the amendments to be made in the interests of justice.
4 Accordingly, the order of the Court is that the application to Amend the Notice of Appeal is dismissed. The appellant does not rely upon any other grounds in this appeal, apart from the proposed amendments, the appeal is dismissed with costs.
I certify that the preceding four (4) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justices Tamberlin, Madgwick and Hely.