TAKING SILK

The first appointment of a Queen’s Counsel in England was that of Sir Francis Bacon, made by Queen Elizabeth 1 in 1594, for a political purpose. Following the tradition that developed since then, the institution is recognized in most of the Commonwealth countries. When lawyers speak of ‘taking silk,’ they are referring to the time […]

RUDISA AND THE GOVERNANCE OF GUYANA

The case of Rudisa Beverages and Juices (Rudisa”) v The State of Guyana, decided by the Caribbean Court of Justice (“CCJ”) on May 8, 2014, exposes not only the state of governance in Guyana over the past two decades but also symbolizes the complete loss of Guyana’s ability to achieve political agreement on any matter […]

THE WAR OF THE CLERKS

Events at City Hall once again intruded into national consciousness and demanded the nation’s attention amidst the major concerns of budget cuts, the AML/CFT Bill, the LEAD Programme, the Rodney Inquiry and local government elections. It is not yet known if the indomitable Mayor Green has finally met his match but his resourcefulness is being […]

NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE

In a wide-ranging, courageous and innovative decision, the Indian Supreme Court ruled a few weeks ago that transgenders, a broad category of persons with varying gender situations, identities and issues, are entitled to the protection of the Indian Constitution.  It held in the case of National Legal Services v Union of India and Others that […]

THE JURY SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE ABOLISHED NOT REFORMED

I have written twice over the past year urging that the jury system should be abolished. On the first occasion several lawyers, including the Attorney General, disagreed with the views I expressed. On the second occasion I repeated my views in an article publicizing the remarks of Chief Justice Ivor Archie of Trinidad and Tobago […]