THE Guyana Bar Association/Guyana Association of Women Lawyers (GBA/GAWL) never fail to amaze me. True to form, they have called for the resignation of the Attorney General over an illegal recording of a private conversation which, according to the Attorney General, was manipulated and distorted.

However, what I find to be extraordinary is the fact that none of these self-anointed paragons will ever be able to face the public if some of their private conversations were ever made public without their permission.
I am not a lawyer, but I do know that persons must be able to speak freely in their private conversations and are not publicly answerable for those private conversations, if they are made public, unless of course a crime is committed in those conversations.
The current matter is with the Police. As far as I am aware the GBA/GAWL never sought an audience with the Attorney General. Also, the very matter is before the Court by proceedings filed by the Attorney General. The Attorney General is on record as saying that the conversation was distorted and manipulated.
In those circumstances, by what legal principle did the GBA/GAWL make its findings and draw its conclusions. This mad rush to judgment without any due process is not only wrong, but reeks of an ulterior design. This can easily be discerned if a few incidents are recalled.
The public witnessed no reaction when an explosive recording between Member of Parliament Basil Williams and then Commissioner of Police Winston Felix was aired. Based upon that recording, the then Commissioner of Police was heard to be planning, to commit, serious offences. No resignation was called for by the GBA/GAWL either from the Commissioner or Mr. Williams, a lawyer.
There was also silence to the numerous legal and ethical dilemmas that Mr. Nigel Hughes found himself in. For example, the removal of a surveillance tape from a murder scene, a vital bit of evidence, then delivering it later to the police; the accusation of jury tampering in the Lusignan massacre where 11 people were killed, just to name a few.
I believe that when the GBA/GAWL was called upon to issue a statement in the latter matter the very President of the Bar Association response was, “that’s not our business.” Also, when Mr. Raphael Trotman, attorney-at-law and Speaker of the National Assembly, was accused of sexual molestation of a young boy, the public heard not a murmur from the GBA/GAWL. It is sad to see the double standards and hypocrisy that is obvious in the way the GBA/GAWL deal with matters. I often wonder what really is their interest.
It certainly is not what is should be. The public should ignore the GBA/GAWL until we are satisfied of their agenda.

RICHARD MENDOZA