THE GAVEL A PUBLICATION OF THE HUGH WOODING LAW SCHOOL VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3 M A R C H 2 0 1 8 IN THIS ISSUE: 5 T&T’s New President Vows To Be Agent Of Peace The Role of Refugee Rights By Chevy Devonish the first woman elected to the “I was not particularly interested in office of President, although she Becoming Trinidad and Tobago’s being a lawyer. I actually wanted to acknowledges the inspirational and President is undoubtedly a signifi- be a linguist,” she explained, adding aspirational significance. However, cant achievement for retired Justice that she applied to do law after her her disposition towards the devel- 10 of Appeal Madam Paula-Mae Week- friend’s father, the late Justice Tel- opment has no bearing on her ap- The Gavel’s Job es, Trinidad and Tobago’s newest ford Georges lamented that none of proach to her new post. Application President. It is also a landmark na- his children were showing any inter- Workshop tional development, as this is the est in doing law. Her Excellency, being a former first time ever in Trinidad and Toba- “So I just…jokingly said, “Don’t wor- Course Director for Ethics, Rights go’s political history that the coun- and Obligations of the Legal Profes- try has had a female President . sion at the Hugh Wooding Law 15 A Journey Down School (HWLS), intends to approach Di Last month, before she was official- her new role with the same ethical Islands to ly sworn in, Her Excellency sat down considerations which guided her El Dorado with The Gavel to talk about the conduct in previous posts. journey which culminated in her ascension to the office of President, “A lot of people seem to think that and how she intends to discharge you are in a position, or that you are 20 her mandate. willing to do them some favour…so I Surviving the Legal think that one of the ethical consid- Aid Clinic The most obvious consequence of erations is to be very careful to give this development is the shattering no favors, and to make all decisions of the proverbial glass ceiling with squarely on the basis of merit and respect to one of the highest offices 21 availability. It is very tempting to in Trinidad and Tobago. Another help out someone you know, but I ceiling was also smashed in 2010, The Lighter Side think that is a very slippery slope,” when for the first time a woman- the President explained. Kamla Persad-Bissessar-became the country’s first female Prime Minis- ry uncle Telford, I’ll do law for you.” After filling out the application, I “Another consideration is to avoid ter. Those two major achievements all partisanship, and semblance of make a bold statement that the two really and truly put it out of my And more! mind… When the call came through, partisanship because of the polar- highest offices in the country are ised nature of our society. People also within the reach of women. I thought that would be a grand adventure to leave home and go off are extremely sensitive, so you real- to Barbados, so that is what I did,” ly need to make sure that at all Though her exploits in the legal Her Excellency recalled. times you can fairly or can transpar- profession as a prosecutor, private ently explain why you chose one practitioner, teacher, and judge, are thing over another,” Her Excellency But she has no doubt created histo- what most notably precedes her, noted. ry, also being the first female Chan- and are what likely commended her to the minds of those who nominat- cellor of the Anglican Church in Trinidad and Tobago and the first She added: “One of the important ed, and elected her, Her Excellency- things I would have to be conscious confided that law was the furthest female Court of Appeal Judge in the Turks and Caicos Islands. thing from her mind when she con- Continues on page 2 Her Excellency says that she derives templated tertiary education. Continued from page 1 no personal pleasure from being P A G E 2 The Gavel Editorial Committee Corner Credits THE GAVEL is the official newsletter of the Hugh Wooding Law School situated at Gordon Street, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. It is published three times a year by a joint committee of staff and students. Contributions and comments are welcome from staff, students or any other interested parties. All good things must come to an end. As the end of another academic year at the Hugh Wooding Law School comes to an end, so too does the tenure for our year two members. The Gavel Editorial Committee bids farewell Send all e-mails to: to Vishala Khadoo, Jonathan Stevenson and Aaron Mahabir. All the best in your future endeavors, and thank you [email protected] for your assistance in making our publications a success! Editorial Committee Staff: Nisha Mathura-Allahar adjudication would be detrimental of, is at all times, aiming for appro- Her Excellency completed her LL.B to her sole practice; she communi- Jason Nathu priate transparency, while under- studies in 1979, and her Legal cated this to the Chief Justice, who Rudranath Maharaj standing that not at all times can Education Certificate training at then offered her full tenureship. everything be put on the table … so the Hugh Wooding Law School in Editor at Large: it is about striking that balance of 1982, after which she joined, and The reasons Her Excellency gave Imran Ali transparency and dealing with remained in the Chambers of the for leaving her private practice situations in a subtle way to bring Director of Public Prosecution even while it was blossoming are about the best result.” (“DPP”) until 1993. Recalling her that the ease with which clients Editor, Design and Layout tenure at the DPP’s Chambers, she were willing to misrepresent facts, & Photography: By the end of her term, Her Excel- said “At that time it was a great and use her as the mouthpiece for lency hopes to “Make the office of deal of fun because we worked as such misrepresentation, and her Vishala Khadoo the President invisible,” since she a collective, and there were many longing to once again work as part Arun Baboolal believes that “The office functions people who were there at the of a collective which was not avail- Jonathan Stevenson best when people don’t have to time.” able as a sole practitioner. think about it. Things are being Aaron Mahabir done, appointments are being After leaving the DPP’s Chambers, As for her reason for accepting the Christine St.Marie made, and we can rest our head on Her Excellency joined the Cham- nomination to be President, Her Chevy Devonish a pillow that this was the best bers of Theodore “Teddy” Guerra, Excellency said she took up the Kalesh Loakman available choice. We can trust that S.C., where she stayed for just 10 task because she is of the belief what is to be done is being done months before venturing into sole that she will be able to make a Renee Atwell appropriately, and with the coun- practice. “I had done the Magis- difference. If her past achieve- Deshon Griffith try’s best interest at heart.” trates’ Court, High Court, and the ments are anything to go by, it is Court of Appeal. I just needed to reasonable to assume that Her Extended thanks to She also hopes to “Raise the profile learn how to establish and run a Excellency is unlikely to allow the Francisca Campbell for of the President as an agent of practice, and after 10 months I felt political and ethical polarisation, peace in the country,” since she that I had that firmly in my grasp,” and other issues which have her assistance. believes that, “The President Her Excellency stated. plagued the country since inde- Disclaimer: should be a soothing spirit where it pendence, to deter her from at Please be advised that the needs to be, but also needs to light She would practice for just about least attempting to achieve her views expressed in the a fire sometimes where that needs three years, however, before she goal. articles contained herein are to happen, but overall, to bring us was asked by the then Chief Jus- those of the individual back to a sense of civility, calm- tice, Michael De la Bastide, wheth- The Gavel team wishes Her Excel- authors and not the of ness ... [allowing us to] disagree er she would consider a part-time lency President Paula Mae Weekes the Editorial Committee/ without any need for excessive and stint on the bench. After much success in this undertaking.. Hugh Wooding Law School loud agitation.” thought she realised that part-time and/ or the Council of Legal Education. T H E G A V E L P A G E 3 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 3 So Long, Brother – Dappa’s Candlelight Vigil By Deshon Griffith Prince Carew, a first year student and clergy- man, after presenting a sermonette, chal- The loss of Damien ‘Dappa’ Taylor, a close lenged all those gathered to make an impact friend, and colleague, was a tough blow for before leaving HWLS, as did Damien effort- the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) family. lessly. Damien died in a motorcycle accident on December 29 2017. He was just 35. The highlight of the ceremony was the candle lighting as all those gathered, including SRC One of the most spirited students from Group President, Kyle Cox, class representative and 5A, and the school at large; he left an indelible Damien’s closest friends, lit their candles, mark on the entertainment industry in Barba- passing on their flames to light other candles dos, and aspired to be an entertainment law- as Delamiko ‘Rhea’ Worrell of 5A gave a rendi- yer on completion of his Legal Education Cer- tion of ‘Go Light Your World’.