Photo story: Formal portrait of the new "silks"

President Max Richards with the new group of Senior Counsels (silks), including PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar and AG Anand Ramlogan

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan told reporters Friday there is nothing unusual about the Prime Minister or the Attorney General being appointed Senior Counsel.

Ramlogan pointed out that previous Attorney Generals including his immedidate predecessor, John Jeremie, were appointed Senior Counsel while in office. He also said it is not the first time a Prime Minister has been appointed Senior Counsel while in office.

"In fact, former Prime Minister ANR Robinson was also appointed Senior Counsel was appointed Senior Counsel while Prime Minister and I believe former Chief Justice Clinton Bernard. So there is precedence for it," he said.

Persad-Bissessar stated that when she served as Attorney General in the 1990's, she ensured the Heads of the Departments in the Attorney General's Ministry were appointed Senior Counsel.

"I did that again this year to give these chief holders. It is important because they will be practicing. They are the leaders of the Government's legal luminaries," she said.

Both the Prime Minister and the Attorney General said they are "humbled and honoured" to be called to the inner bar.