7 D. Costs and expenses The Commission seeks a determination from the Court respecting the costs and expenses incurred by the representatives of the victims during the processing of the case before the domestic courts and the organs of the Inter-American system. 17) The Commission appointed Messrs. Jean Joseph Exumé, Robert K. Goldman and Nicholas Blake as delegates, and as legal advisors Messrs. David J. Padilla and Brian D. Tittemore. The Commission also designated Messrs. Peter Carter, Owen Davies and Mrs. Andrea Dahlberg as assistants. 18) On June 11, 1999, the Secretariat of the Court (hereinafter “the Secretariat”), following the preliminary examination of the application by the President of the Court, notified the State of the application and its annexes. On the same day, the Secretariat, following instructions of the President, informed the State of its right to designate an ad hoc judge, pursuant to Articles 18 of the Rules of Procedure and 10(3) of the Statute of the Court (hereinafter “the Statute”). 19) On August 16, 1999, Trinidad and Tobago submitted a preliminary objection to the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court in this case and requested a two-month extension in order to present its legal arguments. It also requested the Court to convene a special hearing on the preliminary objection in accordance with Article 36(6) of the Rules of Procedure and to suspend proceedings on the merits until the Court rendered a judgment on the preliminary objection. 20) On August 19, 1999, the Secretariat acknowledged receipt of the State’s communication of August 16 and informed the State and the Commission that the President of the Court had granted an extension until October 15, 1999, in order for Trinidad and Tobago to present its legal arguments with respect to the submitted preliminary objection. At this time, the Court advised that the State’s request for a special hearing and suspension of the proceedings would be considered in its XLV Regular Period of Sessions. 21) On October 1, 1999, the Court issued an Order in the following terms: 1. To grant the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago an extension for the presentation of its Reply to the Application in the Hilaire Case until December 15, 1999, due to the particular circumstances of the [...] case. 2. To decline the request of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago for a postponement of the proceedings on the merits of the Hilaire Case until the preliminary objection has been decided. 3. stage. To continue the consideration of the Hilaire Case in its current procedural 4. To commission the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to summon the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in due course to a public hearing on the preliminary objection in the Hilaire Case, to be held at the seat of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. 22) On October 15, 1999, the State presented its legal arguments with respect to the preliminary objection to the Court’s jurisdiction in the instant case.