PRESIDENT David Granger has announced the appointment of nine Senior Counsel, much to the dissatisfaction of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP). On Saturday, the President said he was pleased to appoint nine legal luminary minds based on their exemplary experience, erudition, excellence and diligence in the practice of the law. The appointments come approximately 20 years since the last batch of Senior Counsel was appointed.
Neil Boston, Charles Fung-A-Fat, Justice Alison Roxane McLean George-Wiltshire, Clifton Mortimer Llewelyn John, Rafiq Turhan Khan, Vidyanand Persaud, Rosalie Althea Robertson, Justice Claudette Margot Cecile Singh; and Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Basil Williams are the new batch of Senior Counsel.

It was pointed out that Boston was admitted to the Bar in November 1982, and has since served with distinction as a trial lawyer for over 34 years.
Fung-A-Fat entered the profession in August 1983 and has offered exemplary service as Parliamentary Counsel and Deputy Chief Parliamentary Counsel for over 33 years.
Justice George-Wiltshire was admitted to the Bar in October 1990, and has served as Senior State Counsel, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and Director of Public Prosecutions.
Justice Singh, who was admitted to the Bar in London in 1973 and subsequently to the Bar in Guyana in 1976, was appointed on the basis of her service as Deputy Solicitor-General, Puisne Judge, Justice of Appeal and her leadership in spearheading the Modernisation of the Justice Reform Project. Additionally, she has served as a Legal Advisor to the Guyana Police Force.
Minister Williams was admitted to the Bar in October 1982 and was similarly appointed Senior Counsel based on his service in the practice of law in both criminal and civil law for over 33 years.
The appointments will take effect January 1, 2017. However, the news of these appointments did not sit well with the People’s Progressive Party (PPP).
PPP executive member and former Attorney General, Anil Nandlall expressed great shock at the appointments.

“I am shocked at the sudden announcement of the appointment of Senior Counsel by the President,” he said in a statement issued shortly after the announcement was made.
“These appointments were obviously done in a very opaque fashion. Some of the appointments reek of political bias and baseless favouritism. Persons deserving were spitefully and discriminatorily omitted,” Nandlall further stated.
The former Legal Affairs Minister and Attorney General questioned how a sitting judge has been appointed.
“This runs contrary to every canon of practice and precedent which dictate that Senior Counsel must be practising lawyers; for this reason, the Chief Justice of Trinidad and Tobago, Ivor Archie, was forced to relinquish his appointment as Senior Counsel because he was a Judge and not a practising lawyer when he was appointed.
“Kamala Persaud-Bissessar was forced to do likewise, because when she was appointed Senior Counsel, she was the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago,” he explained.
The PPP executive member further added that the omissions are equally glaring.
“On what basis was the current DPP, Shalimar Hack, omitted? As irregular as I believe it is for a judge to be appointed, on what basis was one judge appointed and the other judges not, especially the Chancellor and Chief Justice?”
Nandlall further questioned whether consultations were held prior to the appointments.