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A deserving tradition is being randomly observed

Feb 27, 2014 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
There is an old saying which states that any Man (Woman), if he or she wants to live a successful and peaceful life, he or she must keep close to three persons – God, a Doctor and a Lawyer. God to give Spiritual guidance, a Doctor to ensure that you maintain good health and a Lawyer to ensure that everything you do is within the confines of the Law.
It was therefore not surprising that taking Guyana as an example, Lawyers have played over the years such an important part in developing a society that gives everyone an opportunity. Lawyers ensure that you get justice in a Court of Law. Lawyers have always been involved in politics and in other social organisations.
So far as the Court is concerned, a Lawyer is an officer of the Court. His duty is to assist the Court to arrive at decisions that provide justice to the parties concerned. The primary purpose is to ensure that the Court provides justice and not ensuring that as a Lawyer you win every case you present.
In an effort to ensure that Lawyers do what is expected of them, historically many traditions used to be observed which are now not routinely observed. Specifically, I am referring to the old tradition when any Lawyer dies, within one month of his death a Full Court will be assembled where his family will be invited and lawyers pay tribute to the deceased Lawyer. This tradition helped to encourage Lawyers during their lifetime to do what is expected of each of them.
Now this tradition in recent years has not been observed on a regular basis. On a few occasions Full Court was held for prominent Lawyers, two or three Lawyers at a time. This is a departure from an old and proven tradition. For some strange reason, no one has ever sought or given any explanation why this tradition is not regularly observed.
Let me give an example. Ms. Norma Jackman was a prominent Lawyer and one of the first female Lawyers to earn a Master’s Degree in Law, yet when she died no Full Court was held for her. Lawyers seem to die three at a time. The last three to have died recently were Messrs. Randolph Eleazar, William Alexander, who once held the position of Chief Magistrate, and Marcel Crawford S.C., a popular Berbice Lawyer.
In fact all three deceased were Berbicians. So far no Full Court has yet been held for any of them. Let us wait and see. Meanwhile, I would like to hear from the Bar Association and other competent authorities on why this tradition is not regularly recognized in a timely manner.
Jonas M.F. Coddett

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