PM Kamla deserves SILK: AG Ramlogan

File

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan said on Monday Prime Minister Persad Bissessar deserves the Senior Counsel (SILK) title awarded to her last month because of her service to the country and the Caribbean region in her capacity as an Attorney at Law.

Ramlogan was responding to critics who have said Persad-Bissessar doesn't deserve the recognition.

Earlier Monday Opposition Leader Keith Rowley demanded that the Prime Minister return the award, which was handed out by President Max Richards on the advice of the Attorney General. Ramlogan also received the silk award.

Rowley told reporters the Prime Minister does not have the qualifications to be granted such recognition. However Ramlogan disagreed.

He told local media "Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is a former Attorney General, is a former Minister of Legal Affairs, is the first female Prime Minister of the country, but on top all of that, she has done election petition matters here and in the region.

"I remember her doing a very important election petition in St. Kitts. She has practiced in all of the Constitutional and administrative law cases when they were in Opposition and fighting against the PNM. She did those cases."

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Ramlogan said in many jurisdictions in the region it is the norm for Attorneys General to take silk.

"For me it's neither here nor there but being Attorney General, in my respectful view, as the tradition obtains as in so many other countries, I think because you are the titular head of the bar you should be conferred with Senior Counsel."

Ramlogan himself is a distinguished lawyer. During his 15 years at the Bar, he represented the poor and downtrodden at all levels. He has been involved in 45 cases at the Privy Council – a record surpassed only by Sir Fenton Ramsahoye QC.

He has been an Advocate in many landmark and historic cases, most of which were against the PNM administration.

Ramlogan said the critics seem to forget that there has been a precedence for AG's and Prime Ministers to take silk. His predecessor did it and former PM ANR Robinson received the hnour while he was in office.

Ramlogan said the attention given to the matter has triggered a very useful and meaningful debate on the 50th anniversary of this country's independence.

"One has to ask the question do we need it, do we need it all? The Queen's Counsel system came because in England it had solicitors and barristers, we are attorneys at law.Who knows? Maybe the population doesn't want to have the distinction of Senior Counsel."

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