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AG’s Lament

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Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite
Attorney General, Adriel Brathwaite

The Attorney-General of Barbados is the primary legal advisor to the Government of Barbados – Wikipedia

Good luck to Barry Gale QC who defeated ‘pooch skinning’ Alair Shepherd for the position of President of the Barbados Bar Association (BA). Not sure if outgoing president Andrew Pilgrim was able to achieve anything of note except to attain the status of Queens Counsel which lawyers are willing to ‘die’ for it seems.

There was a time when individuals worked hard because there was a consciousness that it was the right thing to do. How ones legacy might be defined was an inevitable consequence. Truth be told in defence of today’s incumbents which see a level of mediocrity hitherto unknown, it may simply be a matter of (in)competence.

Former Attorney General David Simmons is highly regarded by the legal fraternity and the general public. BU however has always been halting in our praise for two reasons. When Simmons demitted the office of Chief Justice (under duress) the delivery of justice caused by the weight of a heavy case load and an inefficient Court Registry should have been the performance indicators which painted his legacy and NOT the quality of his decisions. It was insightful to read Barry Gale’s comments soon after assuming the office of President of the BA concerning the court system. In summary, a mess!

Let us not forget the unholy haste which saw him (Simmons) transitioning from a member of the Executive to the Judiciary. This also gives those with apolitical perspectives a voice.

Soon to follow was Mia Mottley (MAM) who like Simmons is generally highly regarded. However, if one is to critically examine her tenure as Attorney General. The court system did not improve in any appreciable way under her stewardship. When BU reflects on MAM’s tenure as Attorney General the burning down of Glendairy Prison vividly comes to mind. Mind you, MAM was congratulated on the way she managed the events which ensued BUT BU has always preferred to recall the warning from Reverend Gordon Mathews whose repeated cries went unheeded in the months and weeks leading up to the fire that it was a disaster waiting to happen. Demonstrated leadership would not have seen this blot in our history. MAM’s legacy will have to accommodate the Glendairy fiasco.

What is it about Attorney Generals of the recent past which have captured our attention! Although the incumbent is still trying to find his way after five years his legacy may turn out to be the poorakest of them all AND to think it is a work in progress!

From arms distance it seems most if not all of the departments which Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite leads are experiencing some form of dysfunction or unrest.  Let us go quickly pass the issue of keys lost at the prison. Some Officers of the Barbados Fire Service have decided to join those of the Barbados Police Force in suing the Attorney General over promotions. What about the issue which has been heavily covered by BU regarding some lawyers who have refused to pay BA fees? The issue of the backlog of cases in the courts has not improved despite the appointment of the much heralded CJ Marston Gibson.  Integrity Legislation saw its final reading in parliament but its proclamation and operationalization remain a mystery as to when. Although the Preservation of Antiquities Bill was marshalled in parliament by Minister Stephen Lashley the drafting and legal guidance resided under the ambit of  Brathwaite.

Note we have not found the blog space to mention Maurice King of ‘there are no gangs’ fame or Dale Marshall who allowed the moral of the Police Force to dip to an unholy low. Brathwaite is the incumbent. Why was he reappointed again? How are we to determine measures of performance for the AG position?

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  1. Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!! Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!!

    Before the advent of the BBC Ginger Ale in those hardened bottles that many a bad man got he head bust wid, there was a cool predecessor called Schweppes.

    Ah the savour of that drink as it slipped down one’s throught after many a day in the hot sun.

    Then came the children, those little troublesome critters who believed dat duh fader born big and that they could first ease off the cover of the Schweppes and, after drinking off a good portion, add water to bring the libation back to the factory filled height and force back on the stopper to fool dey fadder.

    Adriel Brathwaite is of such graded, watered down Schweppes mettle that even, in a week of Sundays.

    It is IMPOSSIBLE for Dimwit Brathwaite to acquire reasoning skills.

    Would that he could grow in wisdom by some miraculous fermentation process, akin to that miracle when Jesus turned water into wine, to become an AG with common sense.

    It is for this reason, idiocy personified” that the attache from ** refers to him as “the Rock” a term that I, because of my pseudonym, took great umbrage to.

    someone mispoke and named him Adriel, “follower of God” but he would be more appropriately named from the Book of Numbers, where one reads the the story of Balaam the sorcerer and Balaak and the talking donkey.

    Yes Brathwaite is the miraculous talking donkey

  2. Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!! Avatar
    Piece Uh De Rock, Yeah Right!!

    down one’s throat

  3. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    AG nothing more than a joke , title for style.
    The Attorney-General of Barbados is the primary legal advisor to the Government of Barbados to cover the fraud of his friends.Pilgrim was able to achieve anything of note except to attain the status of Queens Counsel which lawyers are willing to ‘die’ for it seems.When crooks cover and delay for crooks they get QC , Quick Crooks,
    We dismiss all QCs that cover massive fraud and the Kings Counsel are here , Kings Rules Queens on there way Out.
    Old World Order is in full effect .
    Time short . watch them all fall to the waste side ,
    Everyone need to get the picture and leave them all to there paid for titles ,
    Start from where you are
    Use what you have
    Do all you can ,
    600 will fall.
    Kings Rule, Thy Kingdom come

  4. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    If the Bar Association is the hen house and within it there are hens and a fox or two, then why would the blind hens elect a fox to be guardian of the hen house and the hens?

  5. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “What is it about Attorney Generals of the recent past which have captured our attention!”
    ********
    All were lawyers who never managed anything in their lives before… and who are even ignorant of their ignorance ….while at the same time full of themselves.

    ..but even so… the incumbent is in a class of his own…

  6. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    I just read this in NationNews.

    Bold statements reported to have been uttered by Gale.”Get rid of bad apples”

    http://www.nationnews.com/index.php/articles/view/courts-in-crisis/

  7. Common sense is not common Avatar
    Common sense is not common

    Read today’s article where the farmers in the shell settlement case are hollering for blue murder against that ‘full of himself’ lawyer ralph thorne ripping them off with a bill for over 600,000. even though he did very little for them.

    I often wonder who the poor man can go to for legal assistance.

  8. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    Do you recall when Pilly was elected to serve as president of the BA what were his goals?

    Here is a reminder:

    http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/the-big-interview-frank-and-fair/

  9. Checkit-Out Avatar
    Checkit-Out

    He din’ have no goals!! Wuhloss

  10. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    As man David, you well know that there is a BIG difference between “the speech” and “THE TRUTH”….
    That was a classic acceptance speech….probably identical to what Gale is now saying and what the previous 10 BA presidents said…

    In truth and in fact, Pilly’s goals were FULLY achieved. He has got what every lawyer at his stage wished for….

    -A well recognized name in Barbados without the expense of Marketing costs…
    -Lots of ‘inside’ information and contacts that would otherwise be difficult to come by….
    -Something to put in his CV that stands out, and may even impress those who don’t know any better

    ….and now the robes….

    Could we have expected him to be honest and say that these were his objectives up front? ..LOL
    …that would be like expecting Freundy to admit that all he really wanted was his pension….

  11. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    Common sense is not common@ I talked to some farmers in that area , I warned then about that Quick Crook Rat-Ralph Thorne and his crook judge Wife named after the planet of the apes movie.
    Same farmer said they bought the land for COW,?? the pig shit is very deep , Land deeds lawyers , I bet now he want the land below his house on the ridge looking down.
    People the lawyer launder the land to the farmers and now will try to take the land back as legal fees for free.
    wake up , you are being set up and now the up is about to fall ,
    1937 is on it way.
    I have my proof he a crook , let him come to me and the crooks at the BAR drinking.

  12. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    So if Gale knows there are bad apples in the legal profession in Barbados, does he have a responsibility to provide evidence of his accusation?

  13. David Avatar
    David

    @Bush Tea

    ….and now the robes….

    Silk man!

    @Hants

    Where is the precedent?

  14. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    What does precedent inform?

  15. well well Avatar
    well well

    For all who may not be aware, there is a fees list in existence for lawyers in Barbados, $600,000.00 sounds a lot like highway robbery, those who are being affected should go to the Bar Association and get a copy of the fees schedule, these people are cold-hearted beasts.

  16. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Checkit-Out | May 19, 2013 at 6:21 PM |
    He din’ have no goals!! Wuhloss
    ………………………………………………………………
    At least Pilly is a known ,professional and practicing semi-comedian.

  17. Anon Avatar
    Anon

    @ Well Well
    The fees list, to which you refer and which in any case speaks to minimum fees chargeable, relates only to non-contentious matters handled by attorneys.

  18. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @David. Frankly it is not the courts alone that need to be seriously looked at. It is also the BA. Barry needs to be VERY careful and to remember that he who lives in a glass house should be very careful how he throws rock stones.

    Barry is right that the courts take priority and that a swift short-term solution MUST be found to clear up the backlog. I have a suggestion. It will cost money. However, since the courts themsleves are costing litigants (read “taxpayers”) millions of dollars each year, my solution is highly cost-effective.

    We are told by our excuse for e CJ that the judges are overworked and facing a backlog of 3000+ (and growing daily) cases. So why not appoint and pay leading counsel from the the Commonwealth to come in on 3 to 6 month contracts each to hear cases? It is a temporary expense that does not carry with it large pensions payable for the rest of their lives to incompetents. These are experienced lawyers who, unlike our current crop of judges, would have no problem with understanding and mastering CPRs and laws and in giving TIMELY and tightly-written decisions. 10 of them at any given time? Matter solved and no likely conflicts of interest. Done. It might cost a few million, but given the tens of millions paid out yearly by litigants yearly with no end to their pain in sight in any foreseeable future, might this not be the solution of any caring and responsible legislature (read “Attorney General”)? But wait!!!!! This might show up the incompetence of the present bench. As a member of the general public, I ask, “SO WHAT?”

    The CJ has also informed us that there is a backlog of 300+ cases before the Court of Appeal. This, of course, explains why the justices of appeal sit only for 3 days a week, unlike the rest of us who work 5 and 6 days a week and do not enjoy the perks of a justice of appeal to start with – but we pay for those perks.

    Whether he was president of the BA or not, Andrew Pilgrim was fully deserving of his QC. He is an excellent attorney. I would remind all that Mr Wilfred Abrahams was also president of the BA and he was not made a QC, so configure that as you wish and draw your own conclusions.

    As for Barry’s comments, although I encourage him strongly to sort out the courts, I have to suggest to him that for the BA to make those comments is like the pot calling the kettle black and I shall go back to that later and call on him to answer a few questions.

    But where Barry has seemingly completely lost the plot already is contained in his comments about getting rid of unsatisfactory counsel. Just how does he propose that the BA does that? The BA does not issue practicing certificates, does not determine what qualifications are needed to obtain such practicing certificates and is itself a nullity under the constitution. So how does Barry propose to gain authority over the issue of practicing certificates? Seems to me that Barry is blowing hot air.

    So, Barry beat out Alair. Hardly suprising. Alair has once already been president when he failed significantly to address the issue of VAT and returned cheques from lawyers that ommitted VAT (a legally actionable act) instead of accepting the cheques and, pending a determination on the VAT issue, marking those lawyers as part-paid. Recently, as we all know, Alair skinned up his botsy at a woman and this was widely reported. So Alair’s record is questionable, both from the point of good manners and as president of the BA. So now the ball is in Barry’s court. Good luck, Barry……..you are going to need it!

    Now, Barry, pray tell us all about the COMPENSATION FUND of the BA. Enlighten us all as to the purposes of this fund and how it has operated. The Compensation Fund is set up under statute where yearly, lawyers pay a set amount to the Registrar whether they are members of the BA or not. If they have practicing certificates, they have to pay. The title “Compensation Fund” is self-explanatory. In other words, “compensation for the malpractice of lawyers to clients”. What compensations has this fund paid out and when and to whom? I am quite sure that David (BU) will have no problem with you responding in this forum and we shall hang on your every utterance as you explain to us the Compensation Fund, its record and post here on BU is audited financials. I dare you!!!!!!

  19. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    The new president of the Bar Association, Barry Gale, QC

    He also wants to get rid of the bad apples in the country’s legal fraternity..
    Well if he does his work . the may stand alone 600 crooks must go to clean up and clean out the bad apples,
    Who voted him in ? those who voted him , why not fight also instead of putting it to one man , All goof lawyers need to push the bad ones out.

    We are watching the watchers .
    He can start with the 22 lawyers in the house , who just bought and paid in full their way in the last Elections.

    long live the King.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    @Amused
    Maybe so, maybe so. However it sticks in the craw that lawyers. a profession which is integral to the delivery of justice, see it fit to dish out these status awards and the very lawyers are on record admitting that they have cases stuck in the system.

    A lawyer, according to Black’s Law Dictionary, is “a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law.”[1] Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political and social authority, and deliver justice. Working as a lawyer involves the practical application of abstract legal theories and knowledge to solve specific individualized problems, or to advance the interests of those who retain (i.e., hire) lawyers to perform legal services – Wikipedia

  21. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @David. Indeed. Very fair comment.

    The BA agrees with youon ethics, but apparently only in theory and the Code of Ethics is merely a little window dressing to make it seem as if this is an honourable body.. See: http://www.barbadosbarassociation.com/uploads/files/Legal_Profession_Code_of_Ethics.pdf.

    I am sure that upon reading it you will be struck by repetition in the Code of Ethics. I am sure you will also be struck by the fact that the BA apparently thinks it is running a kindergarten. Have a look at Clause 16(4), which reads, believe it or not:

    “16 (4). Attorneys should at all times, both in Court and when seeing clients, dress in a manner appropriate to and compatible with the status of their profession.”

    The Courts themselves determine how attorneys should dress when in court, so the “ethics” of the BBA in this matter are redundant. However, I would be interested in knowing just who decides what is “appropriate and compatible” clothing when seeing clients?

    So what we have here is a body that is a nullity under the Constitution; fails to follow its own rules; fails to provide adequate and timely responses to disciplinary complaints; collects (from its collection agent, the Registrar) a Compensation Fund from which it never pays compensation despite clear and obvious instances when such compensation is most certainly applicable; and finally, it sets itself up as the Fashion Police.

    And the BA wonders why attorneys refusing to join are increasing, so that by next year it may have a membership of just a “quorum” of 20?

    Another worrying aspect which I throw into the mix, is that if you study Cap. 363, you will note that, like the Companies Act, Cap. 363 requires that the AGM of the BA be held not more than 15 months from the last AGM. However, unlike the Companies Act, Cap 363 appears not to make any provisions for voting by proxy or by mail, which I think is disgraceful, if I have read it right. All is done on a show of hands of those attending. The quorum for the AGM is set at 20. There are 800 attorneys, fortunately increasing numbers NOT being members of the BA who might be out of the country, unable to attend the AGM for whatever reason, but are stuck with the decisions of the, in the last instance I understand, 22 attendees. Very worrying. Especially in these days of the Internet when ballots can be sent and received by e-mail.

    Then, just to really finish things off nicely, have a look at Section 57 of Cap. 363. Basically, after setting a time limit for the advertising of motions to all members prior to the AGM and the method of doing this, Section 57 allows for emergency motions on which no notice is given. So just who decides what it an emergency motion? The room for abuse is vast and, as I say, the ethics of the BA are, to quote Shakespeare, “more honoured in the breach than the observance,” so the presumption of probity on the part of the membership is a joke. And of course, don’t expect lawyers who do not live up to the code of ethics to be disciplined…..NO WAY.

    So, what we have to ask the BA is just how many of its members showed up for the AGM? If we go by the Minutes previously posted on BU for the 2008 meeting, not many at all. Which shows a considerable lack of interest in the BA by its membership.

    And Barry, poor fellow, standing there talking a lot of dog bout what he gone do about things over which he and the BA have ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OR AUTHORITY WHATEVER!!!! What’s the matter, Barry? Business slow and you looking for something to do? Or you want a few free trips on the BA expenses? I do not accuse, but I express the hope no one is being so stupid as to pay for anything like trips and entertainment out of the Compensation Fund.

  22. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    Well DAVID @ Blacks Law need to come up with a meaning for a Barbados Lawyer ,
    They dont want for you to give one ,

  23. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @David. On this rainy bank holiday, I have been doing a little reading. On the subject of the BA. Here is what I have found. It is extremely discouraging.

    COMPENSATION FUND

    Every year, lawyers pay £2,500 each for their practice certificates, which are mandatory. In addition, they are REQUIRED to pay $200 each towards the Compensation Fund.

    Both lots of money are collected by the Registrar, without which the practice certificates will not be issued. The Registrar remits the $2,500 to the Treasury and pays the $200 over to the Bar Association.

    The function of the Compensation Fund is to compensate people who have been subjected to malpractice by lawyers.

    I got a friend of mine who is a member of the BA to tap into their members’ section of the website and I am advised that the Compensation Fund now has in it in excess of $2 million. I am further advised that not a single payment can be found to have been made out of the Compensation Fund ever.

    Until now, the general public probably has not been aware of the Compensation Fund. Now it is.

    DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

    The Legal Professions Act states that the BA NOMINATES the members of the Disciplinary Committee. The operative word is “nominates”.

    The nomination is required to be done by the Bar Counsel. Because it is a nomination and not an election, that would mean that retired judges like Leroy Inniss, Errol Chase, Sleepy Smith, Oliver Browne, Denys Williams and Woody Davis can serve on the Disciplinary Committee, because, the fact that they are retired means that they remain members of the BA, but cannot vote or stand for election. That is the function and purpose of the use of the word “NOMINATE”. It is designed so that retired senior counsel and judges can serve on the Disciplinary Committee.

    So what does the BA do? Attendees at the AGM can, by a show of hands, ELECT the Disciplinary Committee. And elections can only take place from amongst the membership that is not retired and pays BA’s membership fees. This has resulted in attorneys with limited to nil experience being ELECTED to the Disciplinary Committee. In defiance of the Act.

    And the result? I know of cases where hearings of the Disciplinary Committee have been scheduled to be held, counsel for the Complainant and the Respondent have turned up for the hearing – as many times as on EIGHT separate occasions and, after an hour, have had to go away, because the Disciplinary Committee did not have a quorum. Thus, complaints from the general public are taking as long as 8 years to be heard.

    Having arrived at their determination and having no right to discipline the attorney themselves, the BA must then refer their findings to the Court of Appeal for the Court of Appeal to decide the fate of the attorney concerned, if he is found to be in the wrong by the Disciplinary Committee.

    One case still resonates of a lawyer who was complained against for not having filed proceedings within the Statute of Limitations. The Disciplinary Committee, conveniently overlooking the fact that the limitation period had been extended and relying on the former limitation period which was no longer valid, found against the lawyer (in fact, the lawyer DID file the proceedings on time). The BA, however, with a Disciplinary Committee of lawyers who clearly were not too familiar with the law they were supposed to practice, recommended that he be disciplined to the Court of Appeal headed by one David Simmons. And do you know that, instead of refusing the recommendation on the basis that it erred in fact and making a ruling there and then, David Simmons sent the matter back to the Disciplinary Committee to be re-heard?

    There are cases where lawyers have seized funds that they held in trust for clients to pay their fees, and yet these lawyers are free and clear and not one red cent has been paid out of the Compensation Fund to these clients, despite the fact that the actions of those lawyers is a breach of trust.

    So, until Barry Gale sorts out the whole issue of the Disciplinary Committee, he has no moral high ground to take with the courts whatsoever.

    And I still want to know who and how many attended the latest AGM of the BA – apart from Leslie Haynes (who withdrew his candidacy for president) and Alair Shepherd (who lost to Barry Gale). The number I have heard is 22. BARELY a quorum. So, if there are 67 lawyers this year who are not paying BA fees, I suspect that the number will rise sharply by next year. So maybe Barry should have left the chairmanship of the BA to Alair to preside over a BA with less than 20 members left. Oh, and of course let us NOT forget a Compensation Fund of over $2 million that they clearly have no intention of ever paying even paying one cent of out to complainants.

  24. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Anon…………………i remember seeing a fees schedule, but could not remember the details, still, it is unconscionable to be that greedy.

  25. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Greed has its consequences………….some people who needed attorneys in Bim asked recently for referrals and were told point blank, do not use bajan lawyers for anything, walk with your own, even if it’s someone from China…………HA!!

  26. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @Amused,

    It will take a very long time to correct the problems in the Courts,the legal system and the Bar Association.

    What is difficult for me to understand is how the Lawyers in Barbados could function in this environment without correcting any of the problems.

    It could be that it is too dangerous politically to “rock the boat” so it is better to take the easy way out and try to live the “good life”.

    It would take strong leadership that appears non existent in the Legal fraternity.

  27. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    The only legal advice i see the current AG giving the leaders and their esteemed friends is how to stay out of jail, don’t get sued and how to hide the money……………

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @Hants

    It is bad in our legal system. BU has NOT even scratched the service.

  29. David Avatar
    David

    @Amused

    Why would the BA collect 2 million and sit on it when several cases would have merited draw down from said fund? How should it reflect on the leadership of the BA through the years?

  30. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Hants | May 20, 2013 at 3:04 PM | I agree with you, EXCEPT…….there are potential leaders in the legal community. Especially among the younger lot. Some of the younger lot (unfortunately all too few of them) are really good and committed. But the problem with them is that the same thing will happen as happened to many of their gifted seniors. They will find it impossible to make any headway, given the lack of active support from those whom we elect, hire and pay to govern us. Eventually, they will get fed up. After all, they will have families that need their support and time. So they will start to just let things go and either join or ignore the rot. Or decide that their bread is far better buttered by going into the political arena. And to do that, they will have toed the political line and garnered all sorts of favours from the incompetents.

    The good news is that heretofore all these nasty little tactics and irregularities would be cheerfully swept under the carpet by the press and the electorate would never hear what was truly going on. Now, we have BU and I disagree to a certain extent with David (BU) when he says the surface has not yet started to be scratched. It has. What started as a trickle of information is fast becoming a deluge. And be very sure that Barbados is starting to wake up and it is not liking what it is finding out at all. And they are right not to like it.

    Fortunately, quite a few of the senior brethren are really fed up and looking for blood. They know exactly what detrimental effect this is having on the country….its foreign investment, its judicial reputation, its people and its litigants who suffer years and years of waiting for the delivery of justice. And these seniors are past the stage where they give a damn about popularity and they have no need to play politics. Remember the eulogy Sleepy gave at Lindsay Worrell’s funeral? Remember the fall-out from that? There is a lot more to come from the seniors.

    And the BA ought to be in the position where they have the moral high-ground to take on the courts and the AG and insist on change and FAST!!! Trouble is that the BA is a legally fatally flawed organisation run by the dregs of the profession (Barry excepted and Andrew) who see their activities in the BA as being their ticket to recognition and CLIENTS. These people actually hallucinate that they are the leaders of the profession, and all they are is a bunch of also-rans and never-will-be’s. Fortunately, the holders of practice certificates are refusing to sign up to the BA in their droves and very soon you will know who the top lawyers in Barbados are. They will NOT be members of the BA. 67 refusing to be members this year. Just wait until next year. Rapidly, the standard of competence is being determined, not through being a member of the BA, but through NOT being a member of the BA.

    And all for the lack of an aggressive program instigated by the AG and Government (successive AGs and Governments – I am not pointing a finger at Adriel and the DLP alone) with money set aside (instead of being spent on luxury foreign trips for Government functionaries) to: (a) bring in top people to clean up the mess left by the Simmons administration and perpetuated by the Gibson administration; (b) be brave enough to risk the possible lack of popularity by firing all the dead wood, starting with the Registrar. Then, when it is all cleaned up, giving the judges an ultimatum – shape up or ship out – and I include the CJ in that. Yes, the government may lose a few votes, but they WILL gain a whole lot more simply be developing some balls. And their place in history may actually be an honourable one, instead of a despised footnote.

  31. David Avatar
    David

    Past president (Pilgrim) of the BA promised a few weeks ago that he (BA) were about to file a matter in the Court to deal with the longstanding matter of Attorneys who have for one reason or the other not paid Bar fees. What is the status? Is this real or fair promise?

  32. The Dummy @ Dumo Avatar
    The Dummy @ Dumo

    Another scam. Barbados full of scams and scammers.

  33. MR DOPEWELL Avatar
    MR DOPEWELL

    The best CJ that Barbados ever had was David Simmons…… We need to set politics aside and face facts. Gibson is a waste and so is the present AG

  34. Naps Avatar
    Naps

    You are so right Dopey…. we as a society are a total pack of idiots just walking around without a care in the world. Who gives a fart if a lawyer pays his fees. We should be concerned with them robbing us
    Then again thats how we are…. wanna be up in the people’s faces like silly.

  35. MR DOPEWELL Avatar
    MR DOPEWELL

    people why are we bashing each other like this….. we live in a civil society and respect is due

  36. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Dope………………..Simmons set the stage for all the ills plaguing the judiciary now………..

  37. Anthony Avatar
    Anthony

    The ills where in place long before the last three CJ took office

  38. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    MR DOPEWELL | May 20, 2013 at 9:01 PM |

    The best CJ that Barbados ever had was David Simmons…… We need to set politics aside and face facts. Gibson is a waste and so is the present AG@
    We dont know what crack you smoking . We will tell you this you are half right and half dead wrong. We can show you what a dam crook Ex CJ David Simmons is and the rest of the Bitches with titles and after office payments by the taxpayers.
    David Simmons need to be jailed along with All the AGs from 1986 to 2013. even your PM today. for none of us voted for that Bitch as Violet Beckles would say.

  39. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    Amused@ good info, Now put that with land and land tax, The amount of cases dealing with land. The price of land that was made up out of the Blue,90 % of the land sold, deed or not is fraud .The money game BA members in this shit up to there eyes balls,Just follow the land and dont get side tracked by small issues ,
    The few good lawyers in Barbados will not go against the ones with title of QC to judges and so on , For they not be in the mess of land fraud. All that wrong with Barbados is right under your feet. No matter where you stand sit or lay ,, ASK the Question , can i find the Plantation deed? can i get a true clear title? who were the lawyer who made the deed for where i over paid and then added to the Tax rolls against the LAW.
    long live the King.

  40. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Plantation Deeds. With respect since I have sympathy for your plight, it is not me that is looking at the smaller picture, but you. The Lw governs land as well. You need to look at the system as a whole, not just the issue of real property law, but civil and criminal both.

  41. John Avatar
    John

    Amused

    Fortunately, the holders of practice certificates are refusing to sign up to the BA in their droves and very soon you will know who the top lawyers in Barbados are. They will NOT be members of the BA. 67 refusing to be members this year. Just wait until next year

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Take the names on the list David published in an earlier blog of ATTORNEYS WHO FAILEDTO PAY 2013 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION and you will find only a meager handful who are not listed in the Membership Directory on the Website of the Barbados BAR Association.

    http://www.barbadosbarassociation.com/members_directory.cfm

    Looks like they mostly got into line …. contrary to your representations!!

    So I won’t be holding my breath till next year, ….. or waiting.

    Of course, I could be mistaken.

  42. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @John. You are. Mistaken that is. NOW, why in hell would the BA provide a list of “defaulting” attorneys to the press, while their names are on the BA website? The names on the website PREDATE the list of “defaulting” attorneys.

    So it seems to me that the BA cannot get anything right, not even its website. Or maybe the BA is attempting to show that they are NOT a trade union, which we all know they are.

  43. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    Amused@ We thank you for knowing and overstanding .The Plight is the Barbados. We went to just about every part of this system and who ever was in charge. If this was AIDS they all be dead by now, So bad the infections are..Like Slavery they feel they are right and untouchable for they are not in jail.YET
    King John learn the hard way about laws and Rights , and at times it takes People time to turn against the Leader they Elect .In a World of their own,who hold the books of Laws and make up and back date laws long on the Books.Thy Kingdom come is upon us, and soon they all have to know.If you watch the PM , the people behave the same way..Only to wake up when some one is at the door and go back to sleep when they leave. We must stay at the door until he do his work or leave the house.
    People must learn to VOTE BETTER and learn not t be bought off with things that can be gone in a shorter time than it took them to VOTE.The election proved by what means and how they behave to get things not done.

  44. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Anthony……………..those three succeeding CJs certainly and pointedly did not do anything to make the judiciary any better, it certainly got worse under their direction.

  45. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Amused………..a good example of how the laws are set up in Bim can be explained to Plantation by using the current actions by Parris to sue the BLP and newspapers for pointing out that there will be no recourse for CLICO policyholders because of his affiliation with DLP. Now where else on this earth can someone who should be in jail able to sue someone for alluding to crimes he committed as CEO of an insurance company, when other executives from the parent company CL Financial will have to answer for their crimes, no ifs and nor buts? The laws are antiquated and should be removed from the statute books, these laws embrace thievery and corruption and were not designed for the majority who live on the island, they were designed to serve the best interest of the colonial minority who ruled the island back in the 1600s, the laws now work in favor of a few criminals on the island and they are using it to their full advantage.

  46. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Well Well | May 21, 2013 at 10:38 AM |

    Maybe the erudite always well-informed Amused can explain to us how come Leroy Greenverbs can get a case heard before the CJ in such short period of time.

    This alleged case of defamation only took place during the February general elections of this year. What about the hundreds of matters before the Court for many years now. Did the CJ himself not express alarm over the backlog of cases clogging up the system? There are people on remand for years charged with murder what about them and the families of the victims?
    The only damage that could have been done to Leroy Greenverbs is the assassination of his dangerous character that was already dead anyway. Why can’t he wait just like the others? Why is he being given preferential treatment? Is it because he has friends in very high places and this is a case of ‘they are all for one’ and that one has them all in his financial servitude?
    Is this a clear case of money making the mare fly and the blindfolded woman of justice seeing only $$$.$$?

    Both the legal & justice systems in Bim are corrupt to the core.
    Maybe we should take Shakespeare Henry the Sixth butcher’s suggestion to heart: “Let’s kill all the lawyers” (and save the country).
    Of course we will pardon our amicus curiae “Amused” (and possibly Caswell; LOL!!).

  47. David Avatar
    David

    @Miller

    BU will post on this issue next.

  48. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @David. Looking forward to that one. I completely and utterly agree with my friend the Miller, BTW. There are a lot of questions that I have on that case. And I am fully prepared to ask them.

    @Miller. It may interest you to know that MANY of the lawyers that you would follow Shakespeare and kill are asking exactly the same questions as you.

  49. Well Well Avatar
    Well Well

    Miller…………..maybe there is more in the mortar than the pestle…………no if, ands but a lot of butts.

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