Law

OECS Attorneys Generals Urged To Be Relentless

OECS Attorneys General In Tortola

OECS Attorneys General At Meeting In Tortola
Photo Courtesy Of BVI Information Services

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
June 10, 2008 (CUOPM)

Attorneys-General from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have been urged to be relentless in the execution of their duties as watchdogs of their respective legal systems.

Speaking on behalf of the Government at a ceremony that marked the opening of the 14th Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Legal Affairs Committee meeting in Tortola, British Virgin Islands Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Social Development Hon. Dancia Penn, OBE, QC told delegates they have a significant responsibility in the ongoing development of their respective nations.

“Part of the short message I would wish to leave is to urge you as attorneys general – guardians of the public interest and principal legal advisors to our governments – to be firm, to be relentless, to be fair as you work to strengthen our legal systems and our execution of governance at every level,” she said.

The Deputy Premier and former Attorney General and Deputy Governor also noted the historical and cultural ties that exist in the sub-region, and reiterated statements by the BVI Premier, Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE, which called for the BVI to continue a policy of cooperation with its Caribbean neighbours.

The Deputy Premier said she was pleased that one topic of the meeting would be model family law.

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Society Must Combine Resources To Fight Crime

St. Kitts - Nevis Police Officers

St. Kitts – Nevis Police Officers
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
May 28, 2008 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis says several initiatives taken to deal with crime have been met with success, but the fight is a long and arduous process which will involve the entire society.

Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said as the twin-island Federation continues to build its new economy, crime could undermine the very foundation of that economy if the society does not combine its resources to combat and eradicate it.

He said his Government full understands the multi-dimensional nature of crime and has re sought to combat it in a variety of ways.

“In respect to the social and educational dimensions of crime, we have been reducing the percentage of dropouts in our school to minimise the pool from which criminals are quite often recruited. We have enhanced the rehabilitation programmes in our prisons and have sought employment for ex-convicts with a view to ensuring that such ex-convicts abandon the life of crime as they are integrated into the society. We introduced PROJECT STRONG to provide nurturing and training for young people at risk of falling into crime. We are establishing a Training Facility at Harris’s to train and rehabilitate young people in trouble with the Law. We have strengthened skills training component of our education system to provide practical and marketable skills to schoolchildren who prefer such training to the traditional academic training,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

He said his Government continues to provide enhanced equipment and facilities to the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force.

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St. Kitts – Nevis PM To Take Legal Action Against Newspaper

attorney anthony astaphan

Attorney – Anthony Astaphan
Photo By Erasmus Williams

Basseterre, Saint Kitts – Nevis
May 14, 2008 (CUOPM)

St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas has issued instructions to his Attorneys at Law and Counsel to take whatever lawful action permitted under the law against Political Leader, Mr. Lindsay Grant and his party’s mouthpiece, The Democrat newspaper “to ensure that Mr. Grant and the Democrat are made to pay for their reckless and irresponsible allegations and conduct.”

A statement from Dr. Douglas’ attorney, Senior Counsel Mr. Anthony Astaphan of Dominica on Wednesday noted what he describes as “a very disturbing trend taking place in the OECS.”

“In recent times, Political Parties in Opposition have fabricated strategies of ambush and destruction directed at sitting Prime Ministers. These strategies and their implementation are known as weapons of mass deception. The politically crafted weapons of mass deception are designed to destroy the reputations of Political Leaders and Prime Ministers. Opposition Parties have been advised that that is the only way for them to win an election,” said Astaphan, a prominent Caribbean lawyer.

Mr. Astaphan further noted that in St. Lucia, the United Workers Party sought to paint then Prime Minister Dr. Kenny Anthony with the outrageous and false allegation of corruption.

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Nevis Born Justice Hugh A. Rawlins Appointed To Chief Justice

Chief Justice - Hugh A. Rawlins

Chief Justice – Hugh A. Rawlins

Charlestown, Nevis
April 28, 2008

Legal Advisor in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) Mr. Patrice Nisbett, is hopeful that the promotion of Nevisian born legal luminary Justice Hugh Anthony Rawlins to Chief Justice in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), would spur the youths of Nevis and St. Kitts to aspire to achieve.
 
He made the comment in an interview with the Department of Information on Monday April 28, 2008, following an announcement by the Organisation of  East Caribbean States (OECS) Secretariat that on April 24, it had communicated to the Lord High Chancellor, Jack Straw, a request to lay before Queen Elizabeth II on behalf of the OECS Authority, a recommendation for the appointment of Justice Hugh Anthony Rawlins to the position of Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, with effect from April 29 2008.
 
“I would hope that this elevation would inspire not only the lawyers in Nevis and in St. Kitts but also the young people in our country that whatever one sets ones mind to, one can certainly achieve that.
 
“The young people can look at Mr. Rawlins as an example of the fact that one can come from humble beginnings and arise to significant prominence and great position in the Caribbean region,” he said.
 
Mr. Nisbett who spoke on behalf of Premier of Nevis Hon Joseph Parry and the Cabinet, said he was extremely proud of Justice Rawlins elevation to the highest judicial office in the Caribbean a feat he had achieved in short order.

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Nevis Island To Setup Speed Traps

Charlestown, Nevis
April 02, 2008

Premier of Nevis the Hon. Joseph Parry continued to underscore his Administration’s commitment to support the police in its quest to eradicate crime on the island of Nevis.
 
The Premier made the statement at a handing over of five radar guns from a group of civic-minded individuals and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) to the Nevis division of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police force.
 
The group comprised Mr. Nick Douglas, (owner of Eva Wilkins Art Studio and the Botanical Gardens on Nevis), Mr. Johnnie Clarke, (Jones Estate developer), Llewelyn Caines, (Sunshine’s Beach Bar) Lau’s Chinese Restaurant, Mr. John Yearwood, Oualie Beach Realtor), Captain Nils Hoegseth (Saga Shipping), Mr. John Virball and Mr. William Bosshard.
 
During the ceremony took place at his Bath Plain office on Thursday March 27, 2008 the Premier registered the NIA’s commitment to work with the police.

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