Est.2007

Barbados Underground

Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Banner promoting anonymous crime reporting with a phone and contact number 1 800 TIPS (8477), featuring the Crime Stoppers logo and a QR code for submitting tips.

Former Insider Attorney Philip Nicholls Exposes Barbados Court System

← Back

Your message to the BLOGMASTER was sent

CONTACT THE BLOGMASTER ONLY

Philip_NichllsIt would be disingenuous of BU not to have read Philip Nicholls’s book More Binding Than Marriage and to provide unvarnished feedback. Nicholl’s has revealed enough about the Barbados Court System, Director of Public Prosecutions Charles Leacock, former partners Allan Watson and Joyce Griffith, Disciplinary Committee, lawyers in the system and much more to be sued if true. It is a damning indictment of the system by a former insider. Also his animosity towards Vernon Smith QC, Barry Gale QC and Charles Leacock merits special mention.

The quiet from traditional media is not surprising.

BU respects the intellectual property of Nicholls, however we posted six pages to give members of the BU family who have not yet purchased some insight to three issues among several raised by Nicholls.

Pages 82 and 83 – Nicholls shares his view as a former President of the about the Disciplinary Committee. He brands it a toothless tiger.

Pages 114 and 115 – Nicholls describes Barbados Court as a ‘total mess’.

Pages 129 and 130 – He decides to leave DPP Charles Leacock to God

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

591 responses to “Former Insider Attorney Philip Nicholls Exposes Barbados Court System”

  1. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Besides Sarge… it has never been so easy to self-publish a book in the whole history of publications…
    Just contact Amazon publishing….
    It is as easy as writing …and clicking ‘send’….

  2. TheGazer Avatar
    TheGazer

    Cajoling?
    It is good that you have this great understanding of what is going on in the legal community of Barbados. Not all us are so fortunate or well-informed.

    Many of us gained our understanding from being savaged by a member of the legal community; of being treated like a fool and parted from our money. From what I read here on BU, this book adds transparency to the legal happenings in Barbados. It allows me to communicate wit my mother on how her land parted from her and her money was paid to her piecemeal with some still outstanding. I cannot understand why sharing knowledge/information is seen as a bad thing in Barbados. It seems as if we boast of our literacy rate, but would prefer that people not read or be well-informed,

    Trying to protect (maintain) what is left of your integrity is a bad thing? I hope you are never in this position

  3. TheGazer Avatar
    TheGazer

    @Sargeant
    “I know of a few other lawyers who have separated some Bajans of much of their assets however these people don’t have much of a voice but to complain to their friends and family.”

    Sometimes I struggle with Bajan logic. So here is an expose and you have difficulty with it.
    So what is it? It seems as if you like and want the message, but prefer a different messenger..

  4. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    Aaah Bushies, I wish that was so..”a perfect human steps forward with a perfect solution to our woes”.

    No sir, I can work with very flawed folks like the one-time terrorists called ‘Detroit Red’ or the one with the alias Madiba. Dangerous men both who did some bad things…but men who grew to be larger than life positive change agents… all to the GOOD!

    Or those very flawed priests who eventually were able to blow the whistle on years of child abuse…yes Bushie one can find some good in the face of bad…Nothing to do with naysaying….

    So not looking for ‘Mr. GoodFellow’…just wondering how the good fellows will push through this very heavy top soil of a century of muck here in Bim!

    Your ten point plan is just flawed mucky theory…as is Grenville’s Solutions. Both of them are different matters completely. LOLLL.

    Very amusing how a strong difference of opinion is dismissed as a naysaying against change…amusing!

  5. pieter pieper Avatar
    pieter pieper

    The Bar Association is comprised of lawyers.
    Professionally, the majority of our members of parliament are lawyers.
    With all that has come to light, have we heard anything…good or bad… from any member of either of these two entities ? Do they care ? No! They say, “Let’s ignore the public ! Suckers ! We all know that Bajans have short memories ! This too shall pass ! There) is no balm in Gilead !”.

  6. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @The Gazer

    Seemed like you’ve read my objection to requesting people to buy a book as an objection to the book, I would suggest that you read my statement again. I don’t know any more or any less than some Bajans but let’s say I have a friend who is well acquainted with the legal profession in Barbados and I have heard a few stories.

    If Nicholl’s expose gives greater insight into what happened to your mother then kudos to him, but if not for the charges laid against him would we have heard anything about this matter?

    The book’s subtitle should be “When lawyers fall out” (I am imposing some self- censorship here, others are free to insert the word of their choice for lawyers)

  7. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @ Sargeant “these people don’t have much of a voice but to complain to their friends and family.”

    That is typical whenever Bajans get together in Toronto.

    There is always somebody who has been “waiting for 10 years to get an estate settled”.

  8. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    WW&C let me engage you briefly. What does Mr Nicholls’ book have to do with what he encountered? It’s a historical tale…there are always mitigating circumstances in life.

    He was educated, connected and savvy enough to have navigated his rapids with greater skill. The fact that he was bested by his crooked partners is very unfortunate and if you want to sob for him please go right ahead. That is your prerogative.

    I see absolutely no reason to do such a nonsensical thing, however, because Phillip Nicholls was much too smart and should have seen much of the danger coming down the ‘pike.

    The mere fact that he has WRITTEN a book is a firm indicator that he is a ‘thinker’ and in many regards very tactically wise.

    So one can surmise that he was badly outflanked obviously, mitigating factors included!

    The stale air being spewed has nothing to do with what I or others do not know from the pages of his book!

  9. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    correction: “What does Mr Nicholls’ book have to do with what he [encountered] SHOULD HAVE DONE? It’s a historical tale.

    …that is a clearer representation of what I am saying above !

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    A historical tale you state attached to court orders that remain unenforced in the present. The past and the present always overlap.

  11. TheGazer Avatar
    TheGazer

    DIW
    A great cricketer
    Bat and pads close together.
    Wickets well protected.

  12. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Alvin Cummins March 4, 2016 at 10:10 PM
    “Many people have gone to their graves and not had the justice that was due to them realized. I have a friend who is a victim of the same meltdown of the same firm. He is still waiting for his money, due by JG.”

    @ Alvin Cummins March 5, 2016 at 7:55 AM
    “Even after Philip got judgements, even after the courts dismissed the appeals by the “crooks” against the judgement to pay back the money to the clients accounts, they have not done so. In addition the obvious collusion of the Bar Association, for whatever reason is a signal of the impotence and one-sidedness of the Bar Association. They have disbarred some lawyers, but the ones involved in this massive fraud perpetrated against one of their own has not been subject to their sanction. Why?? Is there any hope for the ordinary people whoo appeal to the Bar association for relief from attorneys who do them wrong?”

    Alvin your above pieces represent the only morally sagacious contributions you have ever made on BU.

    It’s a goddamn pity you are unable to treat the Greenverbs /CLICO fraud with similar evenhandedness.

    Did your earlier sanctimonious veil of hypocrisy protect you from the same principles of truth and justice you now seek to apply to the Nicholls exposé?
    Why is Greenverbs not accorded similar treatment for perpetrating fraud against dispossessed pensioners and ordinary life insurance policyholders?

    Who is protecting him from justice because he happens to have big friends in the highest political circle in which you are proud to be a member of the inner sanctum of deceit, lies and moral prostitution?

    Keep it up Alvin. Someday you might come into the light and do a similar ‘uncovering’ of the horrendous misdeeds your party of deceit and lies has inflicted not only on the poor of Barbados but also on the moral image of the country and its tottering financial and economic stability.

    If Philip Nicholls can have the guts and rectitude so can you; even if the Royal Palms are still very much alive.

  13. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    Yes David, but my point there is that the book speaks to past events. Phillip could have handled some of then active matter to his greater advantage I am sure.

    I can say that in the absence of reading the book because the legal shenanigans (some surely) were common knowledge to lay people like me outside the profession back then too, so surely the son of a lawyer who himself became a lawyer and grew up with friends who were sons of lawyers would have been mch more aware, SURELY.

    So I am dealing with the long standing problems in the industry that were the genesis of this book and the fact that Phillip Nicholls ultimately lost the mano a mano combat with his partners through poor judgement and carelessness.

    Not taking anything away from the VALUE of the book.

  14. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @TheGazer March 5, 2016 at 11:12 AM “It makes me wonder if there is some kind of legal Mafia in Barbados? Do lawyers follow a code of omerta?”

    Duh!!!

    The Cawmere/HC mafia, including (for Bushie) quite a few of my exes.

    Which is why they are exes.

    Looolll!!!

  15. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    Let us say you are correct, so what.

    Yes David, but my point there is that the book speaks to past events. Phillip could have handled some of then active matter to his greater advantage I am sure.

  16. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @de Ingrunt Word March 5, 2016 at 1:47 PM “Phillip could have handled some of then active matter to his greater advantage I can say that…the legal shenanigans…were common knowledge to lay people like me…so surely the son of a lawyer who himself became a lawyer and grew up with friends who were sons of lawyers would have been much more aware, SURELY…[of] the long standing problems in the industry that were the genesis of this book and the fact that Phillip Nicholls ultimately lost the mano a mano combat with his partners through poor judgement and carelessness.”

    I second this.

  17. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    Yes David…so what, indeed. Actually I mentioned my desired ‘so what’ several posts back: let this be Phillips’ epiphany. Let him be heralded on the history pages of Barbados larger than Barrow. Let him use his insider knowledge, intelligence and legal scholarship to be the force to bring the change.

    That David takes a real determined general…that David is the ‘so what’.

    Because if Mr Insider is simply spilling the beans on the bad actors because he was unceremoniously kicked out of the club , and will use his book revenue to reset as a 1% of privilege then indeed “so frigging what”.

    Sometimes, David I wonder if you realize how damn powerful a man like yourself with some grant funds from an International agency (committed to driving our fraud) could be. Some privately donated money that allows you to do some truly investigative digging, and in this case along with an insider like Nicholls that could really CHANGE Barbados.

    But then again I suspect you do know that..lots of foundations out there than could be persuaded to give a site with your nine year background a serious look!

    But I am sure you know the dangers to you are also quite real.

    Anyhow..a loooong answer to your so what. Didn’t expect that I’m sure. Serious business Mr Blogmaster. Our country is at one of those proverbial ‘inflection points’ of our history.

  18. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @Bush Tea March 5, 2016 at 11:08 AM “From DIW’s logic, we are doomed unless a perfect human steps forward with a perfect solution to our woes.”

    No Bushie.

    No, no, no.

    I don’t expect perfect human beings, since I am myself a grevious sinner…and you know what my favourite sin is…but my old man who did not go to Cawmere/HC/LSE/Sorbonne nor Stanford, in fact he finished his formal schooling at age 11 told all of his kids

    NEVER EAT DE CALF OUTTA DE COW BELLY.

    It seems to me that the principals of Cottle Catford spent generations eating de calf outta de cow belly and now poor Philip is distressed dat de ole cow drop down dead.

  19. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Maybe Philip’s book will bring about big, big change (maybe not)

    Maybe the defaulters will obey the court order and pay the money owed (unlikely)

    I wish Philip well.

    I hope that he is able to make somewhat of a recovery.

    But life for us ZR users ain’t as bad as Bushie supposes.

    If any of you check tomorrow’s papers there are still houses to buy for less than $150,000, and apartments to rent for less than $800 so Philip can still live. A month’s worth of water still costs less than $30 and a month’s supply of electricity less than $100 (although I know a colleague who paid $1,200 but fools and their money are soon enough parted) a month’s supply of food still costs less than $300, and the sunshine, the fresh air, the beaches and the public libraries are still free, every now and then we can catch a free concert in a park somewhere, the beauty of the Kadooment Day parade is still free to onlookers, and best of all he ZR’s still cost only $2.

    So if Philip gets reasonable sales for his book he can live life, not as a member of the 1%, but he can live.

    And before we get all sappy and sentimental just remember that we pay our oldest and poorest pensioners $580 per month.

    And when last did we see a member of the 1% reach 100 years old? Mel Williams, not any member of the 1% is 106 years old and in excellent health, perhaps in significantly better health than Philip.

  20. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    And I would say to those lawyers out there who have recently been called to the bar.

    Do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.

    At the end of the day come home and love your family, parents, spouse, children.

    And give some of your time, money, energy, and good ideas and to those who are not as well off as you are.

    In spite of what others will tell you life can be fairly simple.

    And remember: DOAN EAT DE CALF OUTTA DE COW BELLY.

  21. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    de Ingrunt Word March 5, 2016 at 12:51 PM #

    You must realise that BT was misled by this bunch,whom he has stated long time ago that he supported,by being duped he put together this 10 point plan in order that he never be in that position again and when we try to show him the errors in his plan he turns on us his 70% supporters and calls us all sorts of things…..but as he admitted such are the frailties of humans.

    As I said before you are on point with your analysis…..for the record I will be out of here in a couple of weeks and will order the book then,like SS I have to watch pennies.

  22. Colonel Buggy Avatar
    Colonel Buggy

    Myrie’s Lawyers are still knocking on Adriel Brathwaite’s back door, where ever that is, demanding their money.

  23. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Dee Word….you can posture all you want, you can never understand what Nicholls had to deal with unless you see the facts….not conjecture….facts.

    Just ss your were asking me for proof of what lawyers do to unsuspecting clients on the island, well here is your substantiated proof…..facts.

    Nicholls got a taste of what lawyers dish out to clients on the island, just as people been complaining for decades…dont need to cry for him, he learned how to do so himself…..now we have the tell all.

  24. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    My specialty is civil litigation and I can tell you without a doubt….Nicholls made his case.

    And Dee Word, in that matter, there are certain aspects still ongoing…..but you wont know that would you.

  25. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Colonel…funny you should say that, someone just told me they were at a small Trini restuarant across fron the Paynes Bay fish market and who should be in there eating, drinking and having a good time..none other than Adriel Brathwaite, not a care in the world, it was described….and dont you know that the same little restaurant, it is being said, is a concern of the Mottley family.

    These are the same politicians who 18 months from now will be pretending to be enemies while their useless, backward yardfowls posture all over the blogs…lol

  26. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @WW&C, as usual your words are puzzling I am unclear what the remark “your were asking me for proof of what lawyers do to unsuspecting clients on the island” has to do with me. I never asked for any info on lawyers and Barbados…so really not sure what that is about …but you tend to be puzzling like that.

    You make some strange remarks. It is illogical that ” [ I ] can never understand what Nicholls had to deal with unless you see the facts” when I have repeatedly spoken to the FACT that he should have been more proactive and aware of what was before him. THAT is why I fault him.

    The FACT there is that he comes over as a lamb being led to a slaughter yet he was a savvy, well schooled, analytical lawyer . That is the major fact you need to deal with.

    Since when is it that fools are invited to partnership. Steeupse!

    I have no idea why you believe that you have shown any level of acuity on this matter..thus why is it relevant that “[your] specialty is civil litigation” is beyond me.

    Anyhow as I told David this is not some stupid fight with you.

    I am not a party to any of the pending litigation so a prompt reading of the ‘brief book’ is not important. Ya think!

  27. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    You can’t pay off your Mastercard credit card by using your Visa credit card. That way leads to a personal Ponzi scheme.

    You can’t meet your current living expenses with client’s money, in anticipation of future earnings.

    Anticipated future earnings are NOT real, real money peoples.

  28. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ Simple Simon’
    You can’t pay off your Mastercard credit card by using your Visa credit card.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Steupsss
    So what do you think Caribbean governments have been doing now for decades? …especially Barbados?
    LOL
    Wuh Stinkliar just borrowed some money from FCIB to deposit with the Latin American Development bank …so that we can borrow money from them to pay off money owed to the Caribbean Development Bank ….which we had borrowed to pay of money borrowed from some OTHER shiite bank…
    The damn lawyers are just doing what the government does…… same damn crooks.

    As to your second statement about client’s funds….. you CAN’T be serious….
    That is how Bajan lawyers buy their homes, Mercedes-Benz, travel…. shiite woman, it is what being a lawyer in Barbados MEANS…. It is not even against the Law here…. according to the PM…

    You probably mean that they “shouldn’t”… and probably one or two ‘poor’ ones don’t…. (or can’t) – because they teach…. LOL ….ha ha ha

  29. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Dee Word…go back and read some of your posts to me re my stating unequivocally that some lawyers in Barbados wrong their clients relentlessly, greedily and maliciousy, your words to me were that I was accusing the lawyers without substantial proof, that David’s been asking me for proof and yada ,yada, yada, you mentioned this on more than one occasion, those words cannot be erased they exist. …so dont try to retract or feign ignorance.

    I should not have to tell you the obvious, but civil litigation is a discipline, a very useful discipline…..when reviewing cases, unless one is deaf, dumb and blind, you miss very little, i told you that to tell you what i already said…Nicholls made his case, you cannot undo it by giving or pronouncing a useless judgement that does not apply to or change the facts of the case, what you are saying has little to no bearing on the case, it was and should never have been a deciding factor in the case, it would have been a matter of procedures within the law firm and only became a criminal matter when the money was not repaid to the client’s account, if the money had been repaid the matter would have become mootm whether partners utilize client’s money was not on trial, the theft of and not repaying the money was and still is the issue.

    Changing the procedures to prevent partners using clients accounts is another case for another day. …..got it now? It’s elementary. There is where the knowledge of civil litigation and how it should be applied steps in….you can sing until the cows come home, it is what it is.

  30. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @WW&C at 5:27 AM….

    1—I do not recall EVER engaging with you re the issue you cite above. And if I did I see absolutely no reason why I would have had an extended debate on your accusations. A blind man on a galloping horse can see your bias a mile away.,,to borrow that old saw.

    2— There is no need to go into a back and forth here with you so suffice to say that clients’ money means money which the firm holds/receives for/from their client, and which is not due on demand to the firm’s own account as fees or other expenses related to the client.

    It is beyond shocking to hear you tout your civil litigation credentials and then rubbish them with the inane remarks on partnership drawing as ” it would have been a matter of procedures within the law firm .. if the money had been repaid the matter would have become moot”.

    WRONG. That is unethical, improper and absolutely NOT acceptable in properly operating partnerships. That statement establishes you as either a charlatan or a crook.

    No ETHICAL, HONEST partner the world-over would take drawings from those funds. If in your vast civil litigation experience you find that is an acceptable internal practice then you are also an unethical advisor! Just calling it as you have presented it.

    Moreover, no reputable audit firm would sign off on such a practice.

    If the partnership revenues are lower than their expenses then they either get a loan to inject more partnership capital or fold the partnership…you do not take money from client funds!

    Enough of this nonsense!

  31. David Avatar
    David

    @Dee Word

    Agree with your last comment wholeheartedly.

  32. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Dee Word…I commented twice, that rightly or wrongly lawyers routinely use clients funds for whatever….twice I commented on that, however, as morally and unethical as it is, you would have to show me the procedure being illegal UNLESS the money is not returned to the client’s account, which then makes it criminal, that is the nexus of Nicholls’ case……and why he won the case and the defendants lost their appeal………you noticed Amused abandoned you on that one.

    When you can get the attorney general and chief justice to make it outright criminal for attorney/partners to touch client’s money, even if they pay it back, then you have an argument worth listening to….but until then…….no cigar

    The Bushman nailed it….governments routinely take taxpayers money and do whatever thrir hearts desire, including pocket it, both governments are made up of mostly lawyers…eg…taking taxpayers NIS money over 60 million and using it as collateral to fund the 4 Seasons scam, it was not only stupid, but unethical and not well thought out because when the dust settle we found out that Mia Mottley, the opposition leader said nothing because she was the attorney for 4 seasons so her salary was also being paid using NIS pension fund.

    Her buddy the indian dude, cant recall his name, was directing the scam of finding investors for the scam, I think he got some useless title for his efforts….Mia is still not representing the peoples interest re generations of bajans having to pay back that loan for the scam that never got off the ground and from which she benefitted……as a matter of fact, there were no Simple Simons or Igrunts or Amuseds protesting the lack of ethics or morals surrounding those misuse of taxpayers money…explain that.

    I have a relative visiting, disciplined in administrative law, laughing at the irony of those who did not read the book are the ones protesting the most at the course of action Nicholls had to take, because of the way the legal system was allowed to degrade by those in charge of it.

    My discipline allows me to clinically amd without bias, understand the dynamics at play in such cases, particularly with a system as compromised as Nicholls had to deal with. I already commented on his part in all of this and my thoughts on what he might have been able to do, given what he hsd to work with….. no need to repeat.

  33. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Dee word.
    I really do wish you would read the book.
    Philip’s book shows his attempts to recover; FOR the clients accounts, money that was “drawn down” by the other partners in the firm. Money they have REFUSED to repay, despite judgements requiring them to do so. In his “innocence”, “stupidity” or because of his upbringing, he accepted the responsibility for recovering these funds, ruining himself, financially, in the process. I have sympathy and empathy for him, because of the obvious stress he had to undergo, and which is the subject of one of the chapters in the book. That he brought it on himself, there is no doubt, because he could have adopted the same uncaring, callous attitude as the others. The difficulty arose when the partners committed the “malfeasance”, not against him, personally, but in the utilization of the clients funds for their personal benefit, drawdowns, and did not put it back. He could have behaved like so many others in his profession, and rushed to the line, like riders do in cycle races :”Devil takes the hindmost.” But I guess his upbringing rebelled against this attitude, and he tried to do the “decent” thing. This life-changing episode has brought a catharsis in his attitude, for the better no doubt. However I wish more lawyers would undergo a catharsis too.
    @Miller,
    You keep harping on the theme of Leroy Parris’ personal dealings with CLICO. Why have you not adopted the same attitude with Lawrence Duprey, and mentioned him in the same breath. My blame; when you talk about pensioners in this regard, is for the pension managers for different entities, who,- like the partners in Cottle Catford used clients accounts as their personal bankers,-used their ability to channel the pension funds they managed, to ILLEGALLY invest in those financial instruments; EPA, and EFPAs,hoping to make quick bucks (obviously for themselves) except that the Ponzi scheme was discovered (collapsed). Parris used these investments as a way of getting bigger bonuses; to which he was entitled, but there is no evidence that he used the pension money. I have no doubt that he used his powers of persuasion to encourage these greedy pension fund managers; (friends?) to “take a chance”.These are the ones I blame. But they are all a bunch, of crooks, and liars. You too. “Things that are equal to the same thing are equal to one another.”
    I do not have access to any “sanctums”; inner or outer, but IFHAVE A SENSE OF FAIRNESS. I HAVE PERUSED THE BACKGROUND AND FUNCTIONING OT CLICO, THE REPORT OF THE JUDICIAL MANAGER, AND WHATEVER ELSE I COULD GET MY HANDS ON IN THIS sordid mess. But even Job, when he was covered with sores, was not despised or neglected. Parris may not be an angel, but there has to be fairness handed out to him also. Did YOU read Philip’s book? I commend it to you. Buy it yourself though.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @Alvin

    Financial jeopardy to himself and family. Interesting the part in the book where is car was repossessed last year and how he ate biscuits and cheese on Christmas day. There is a lot to learn from his experience.

  35. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    It is a learning experience for Nicholls, one of which he should be glad and rightly humbled. Had he done as so many of his other colleagues are so proud to do, turn is back, what he is now revealing would not see the light of day, nor become the catalyst for change, as we are hoping is not escaping Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite and Chief Justice Marston Gibson.

  36. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @Alvin and David….First Alvin, I have not and will not fault Mr Nicholls for his attempt to reclaim the ‘illegally’ drawn client funds. I am not, according to WW&C, establishing any nexus for his case. My point is very simple: Phillip should have been more perceptive of what was happening.

    Alvin, unlike science where its either right or wrong, in the world of law one can take the same facts and arrive at completely different positions. You say :In his “innocence…or because of his upbringing” that he took certain steps.

    I say that BECAUSE of the upbringing, around analysis of men like his Dad, and being a keen student he should have been more alert, crafty and skillful. This stuff was going on for years in that old boy network after all….

    The book will tell me the details of what he did but it is clear that he badly mis-stepped. Or said differently..he was so embarrassed and dismayed when he found out the extent of the malfeasance that he was in a conniption and could not think straight.

    If he had allowed that ‘upbringing’ to help his focus clearly he would have marshaled his forces carefully and it would have been those crooked partners eating those biscuits and cheese on Christmas Day.

    So yes David, unfortunately that is EXACTLY what you sign up for as a Partner…big bucks on the up side but potentially grave financial jeopardy on the down side.

    I applaud Mr Nicholls for his partner suit and efforts to fulfill his partnership pledge. I am saddened that he was unable to best his adversaries based on the depth of support he had available.

    @WW&C. An unethical lawyer will become a crooked lawyer.

    Based on the standards of most professional organizations the practice would be considered ‘illegal’ and grounds for dismissal/censure at minimum.

  37. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    Dee Word…I quite understand that, in Europe or North America yes, but these cases of theft from clients are happening in Barbados, where there is no such precedent set as yet, or criminaliztion of practices by attorneys that bring the legal profession into disrepute.

    It’s still seen as a badge of honor to tief client money, rob the accounts, steal insurance compensstion designated for the client b5 attorneys, too many. Why do you think I keep complaining about the disciplinary committee and bar ass8ciation, they were apparently designed to mock the judiciary.

    Hence the reason the Attorney General and Chief Justice need to be put on notice that it will no longer be tolerated and they both, along with the DPP are responsible for putting an end to attorneys stealing from clients or setting up their clients to lose cases, until then they will not see the need to end these practices that have been ongoing for 50 years +.

    BTW ….the book would ensure that you understand so much more.

  38. millertheanunnaki Avatar
    millertheanunnaki

    @ Alvin Cummins March 6, 2016 at 8:13 AM
    “My blame; when you talk about pensioners in this regard, is for the pension managers for different entities, who,- like the partners in Cottle Catford used clients accounts as their personal bankers,-used their ability to channel the pension funds they managed, to ILLEGALLY invest in those financial instruments; EPA, and EFPAs,hoping to make quick bucks (obviously for themselves) except that the Ponzi scheme was discovered (collapsed). Parris used these investments as a way of getting bigger bonuses; to which he was entitled, but there is no evidence that he used the pension money. I have no doubt that he used his powers of persuasion to encourage these greedy pension fund managers; (friends?) to “take a chance”.These are the ones I blame. But they are all a bunch, of crooks, and liars. You too..”

    What a load of bull! Where are the pension funds then, if not at the Central Bank? Why aren’t the pensioners receiving their entitlements? But it takes a senior liar like you to know a ‘junior’ liar.

    Next minute you will be telling the BU household that your dead friend Thompie was innocent in regard to the forensically established fraudulent transactions. Should Maurice K be asked to return the money it is alleged to have received for ‘watching brief’ for CLICO business? How come Fumble cannot get back his investments in the Non-EFPA switch and bait financial products?

    If Greenverbs was indeed genuinely and legally entitled to these “bigger bonuses’ earned from a Ponzi scheme why weren’t the payments made to him direct as any usual above-board type of remuneration with the appropriate tax treatment applied? Why launder the payments through the D T washing machine with the logo “I will not lie, cheat or steal’ as I am the icon of pseudo morality (P M) of Bim?

    So Greenverbs is a man with the gift of powerful persuasion. He is also the smartest man Barbados ever produced. No wonder the “estimable gentleman” is not only a bosom buddy of your boss man Fumble but also your idol who is just a naïve lap dog of Duprey the ventriloquist of scam.

  39. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    @Dee Word,
    the most salutary events ever: the repossession of Philip’s car, the loss of his home, the difficulties of his parents who, out of love for their son, mortgaged their properties, his
    descent almost to penury, the severe loss to his practise with consequent loss of income, to pay off the debts incurred by someone else, the abandonment of people (friends?) whom he thought would (should?) have helped him; if nothing else by directing work his way, following collaPSE OF THE FIRM, AND THE DISAPPOINTMENT IN THE IMPOTENCE (SEEMINGLY) OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM. BARROW KNEW THIS THAT IS WHY HE COULD EXHORT “BLACK PEOPLE TO KEEP OUT OF COLERIDGE STREET.” HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW THAT THE WHITE SOLICITORS HAD BEEN USING CLIENT ACCOUNTS FOR DECADES BEFORE, to accumulate their wealth, costing many others to lose their own wealth; what little they had.
    I can understand a lot more of Well Well’s cynicism. As I said, this book has been a real eye opener.

  40. Well Well & Consequences Avatar
    Well Well & Consequences

    You are welcome Alvin…and so much more will be revealed with time.

  41. pieter pieper Avatar
    pieter pieper

    Let’s face it ! The Attorney General, Chief Justice, DPP, Bar Association , Disciplinary Committee have done nothing to stop lawyers from stealing their clients’ money ! It is very unlikely that they will do anything until some client resorts to taking the law into his/her own hands and…. Scary thought ! Why do we always have to wait until something tragic occurs ? Don’t they understand that this new generation will not be as patient or tolerant ?

  42. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    Miller,
    I know you are not a real real idiot, but you sound like one.
    You ask: Where are the pension funds then, if not at the Central Bank? Why aren’t the pensioners receiving their entitlements?
    How much money has it been established is lodged at the Central Bank? What happens when a Bank decides you can no longer keep funds there? What did the partners of Cottle Catford do with the money from Clients accounts? They spent it. What they bought is their concern.The supervisor of Insurance got an injunction stopping the sale of INSURANCE policies, but this was later overturned, thus sale of Life Policies continued. The sale of the EFPAs by pension managers were illegal and this is what was legally to be stopped. Which it was. That is why there was so much panic. THEY9the fund managers) knew that what they did was illegal, and too many people had invested too heavily in these instruments. Too many people stood to lose too much.
    There is no doubt that a man who has reached his level in the sale of insurance policies (he also had his own agency; throughout the Caribbean), has to have the “gift of gab”, so he was good at it.
    I know you have read the Forensic report, so you would know about the inter company transfers between, CL Financial and subsidiaries of CLICO within and without. I need say no more. You KNOW, so I don’t have to tell you everything. Just stop trying to fool the people more than you have done so far..

  43. de Ingrunt Word Avatar
    de Ingrunt Word

    @Alvin at 11:07 AM…”As I said, this book has been a real eye opener.”. Mr Cummings, I am going to firmly believe that you are being 100% genuine and honest when you make that claim.

    Alas, I did not need WW&C’s cynicism to educate me about the Bajan legal system.

    Many moons ago I said that there was but ONE attorney who I would vouch-safe in Barbados…he was always scrupulously honest with my business (and had a damn attractive female staff too, lol).

    Undoubtedly NIcholls’ book has put the definitive PERIOD on all of the anecdotal stories and provided the powerful factual basis to better understand the issues behind some of the disbarment and legal wrangles in the past. And, I am happy that you and all others are now ‘eyes wider open’.

    His book is very important in our growth and adds to our push for better transparency.

    But tell me though…how did this corruption pass so easily under your radar considering that you were a pal and colleague of fellows like the Honorable E.W. Barrow, Branford Taitt, Sleepy Smith et al?

    Moreso how it is that the great man himself could make that Coleridge St statement and yet not earnestly attempt to clean the stables by siccing Talma or Sleepy on them?

    Just wondering @Alvin. Afterall none of these fellow went to ‘Brumley’ or ‘Standpipe College’….sharp ‘Oxbridge’ tacks they were…and you were a sharp tack yourself…so how did this pass so ‘wispyily’ above all your heads these many years…

    Just wondering aloud, sir…what was it that the Major or Stanton inscribed in your head along with (Sandiford ?) your other contemporaries about a “breach of commonsense..”!

  44. Alvin Cummins Avatar
    Alvin Cummins

    Pieter piper.
    If it is any consolation to you, other people, in other countries, have taken the path you seem to be contemplating. It has not stopped anything, except get the assailant in jail; sometimes for life, sometimes on death row, and the crooks still keep popping up.
    This behaviour is a fact of life. Bernie Madoff, made off, with billions of dollars. The collapse of Enron resulted in many many people suffering loss of pensions. Madoff is in prison for the balance of his life; and lawyers and business execs are aware if this. Has it stopped anyone?
    It will continue until the end of time. Just ensure that you don’t get caught up in the web, either as a victim or as a perpetrator.

    By the way Miller, I have no bosses, nor am I beholden to anyone. I am a man of independent thought, who expresses his own thoughts..By the way, further, did you ever buy EPA or EFPA instruments? I’ll bet you did. I’ll also bet you have life policies with CLICO.

  45. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    A few posts ago there was a comment among the lines of whether lawyer taking funds out of client’s accounts was unethical or illegal and I gather that someone proposed it wasn’t illegal if there was no law against it or if it was returned. Wuhloss wuhloss,wuhloss! Let me state that I live in a region renowned for its cold and that may mean my brain is in a cryonic state but isn’t common law applicable to that situation where taking what is not yours is punishable? In this cold country the Law Society of Upper Canada can walk into your FI and ask to see a statement of your General and your Client’s account at any time and then waltz back to your office to see your records, if the balance of your clients account at the Bank differs from your books then there’s some splaining to do and if the explanation is mushy they can suspend your certificate to practice immediately and ask the Bank to freeze the funds in your account. Most lawyers (I hesitate to say all) have asked the Banks to charge their General accounts with any charges accruing to their Clients (trust) accounts and if the Banks overlook that request there is hell to pay to the point of informing the Law society that they screwed up and $xyz should have been billed to Account A rather than B.

    Ah mean the explanation that I intend or I will pay back is so ludicrous that I don’t even believe it merits discussion but only bout hay.

  46. Jeff Cumberbatch Avatar
    Jeff Cumberbatch

    It is also illegal here, Sarge. It amounts to a breach of the fiduciary relationship that ought to subsist between the parties

  47. Vincent Haynes Avatar
    Vincent Haynes

    Alvin Cummins March 6, 2016 at 12:48 PM #

    Chuckle……I am patiently awaiting your response to the below post
    ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

    de Ingrunt Word March 6, 2016 at 12:41 PM #

    But tell me though…how did this corruption pass so easily under your radar considering that you were a pal and colleague of fellows like the Honorable E.W. Barrow, Branford Taitt, Sleepy Smith et al?

    Moreso how it is that the great man himself could make that Coleridge St statement and yet not earnestly attempt to clean the stables by siccing Talma or Sleepy on them?

    Just wondering @Alvin. Afterall none of these fellow went to ‘Brumley’ or ‘Standpipe College’….sharp ‘Oxbridge’ tacks they were…and you were a sharp tack yourself…so how did this pass so ‘wispyily’ above all your heads these many years…

    Just wondering aloud, sir…what was it that the Major or Stanton inscribed in your head along with (Sandiford ?) your other contemporaries about a “breach of commonsense..”!

  48. Gabriel Avatar
    Gabriel

    Here we have the DPP Leacock approve a criminal charge of money laundering against Nicholls and which after excuse after excuse is withdrawn by the court for want of prosecution.And we have the same courts find Nicholls’ senior partners Watson and Griffith guilty and ordered to repay clients’ funds,but no money laundering charges are brought by the DPP or the police…and this DPP still in office?And still being paid by taxpayers?Only bout hay.

  49. David Avatar
    David

    Any picture of Allan Watson anyone?

  50. David Avatar
    David

    Philip Nicholls took the opportunity to offload on Tony Marshall as well as to give some insider insights to the workings of the BCA. What a hot mess!

The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.

Trending

Discover more from Barbados Underground

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading