IT was a bittersweet moment on Friday for father of two, Dhaneshwar Deonarine, when he was admitted to the local bar, marking the latest step in his journey towards developing and providing service to Guyana.

Deonarine, 34, who hails from the Cinderella County, was admitted to the bar by Justice Navindra Singh after his petition was presented by Attorney-at-Law Devindra Kissoon at the Demerara High Court.

Kissoon, in presenting a brief biography, said that Deonarine had a thirst for tertiary education and outstanding work ethics which he saw first-hand during his in-service training at the London House Chambers in Georgetown.

An Essequibian by birth, Deonarine graduated from the Anna Regina Secondary School, on the Essequibo Coast in 2003. He then attended the University of Guyana until 2009, during which time he graduated with credit in the Bachelor of Economics degree programme and a distinction in the Diploma in Project Management programme.

In 2010, he enrolled at the Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, in New Delhi, India, and graduated in 2011 with higher first-class honours for his Master’s in Human Resource Planning and Development.

In 2016, he returned to UG to read for a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, and graduated in 2019 with a distinction. After completing his LLB, he attended the Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) in Trinidad, and was recently awarded his Legal Education Certificate (LEC) with honours.

While balancing academic studies and family life, Deonarine held many positions, including Administrative Assistant at the Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sports, and a part-time lecturer at UG for courses in Labour Economics/Social Policy, Training and Development, Tourism Economics, Personnel Industrial Relations, and Corporate Social Responsibility.

He was also employed as Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce; National Consultant/Project Coordinator, Smart Hospitals Initiative and Disaster Preparedness & Response and Development Officer in the Development Assistance Section at the High Commission of Canada.

During his final semester at HWLS, Deonarine was employed as the Guyana Project Coordinator for the DAI’s Sustainable Business Group (SBG).
Deonarine is currently employed as Chief Labour Officer at the Ministry of Labour.

WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE
With his wealth of knowledge, and his background in economics, Deonarine’s responsibilities there are to advise the minister, government ministries/departments, public corporations, private companies, trade unions and employees and employer organisations, on labour/industrial relations matters.

Kissoon, in his testament to Deonarine’s character at his Chambers, highlighted the young attorney’s impeccable research skills, his diligence, and his willingness to go above and beyond in his thirst for knowledge.

In a courtroom filled with family and friends, Deonarine recounted his journey towards achieving his legal education, and acknowledged that the road was challenging.

As he reflected on the years of study, Deonarine was moved to tears. He expressed gratitude to his parents and his wife for the many sacrifices they made for him to fulfil his dream.

Justice Singh advised the young attorney to always remember his oath, and to uphold the ethics of the profession. The judge praised Deonarine for his lengthy portfolio, and his quest for knowledge.

He also cited a quote from former Chief Justice of the Connecticut Superior Court, Bartlett Andrews, who, in 1891, said, “It is not enough for an attorney to be honest. He must be that, and more. He must be believed to be honest. It is absolutely essential to the usefulness of an attorney that he be entitled to the confidence of the community wherein he practises… A lawyer needs, indeed, to be learned.

But all these may exist to a moderate degree, and yet he may be a credible and useful member of the profession so long as the practice is to him a clean and honest function. If once the practice becomes to him a mere ‘brawl for hire,’ or a system of legalized plunder, where craft and not conscience is the rule, and where falsehood and not truth is the means by which to gain his ends, then he has forfeited all right to be an officer in any court of justice or to be numbered among the members of an honourable profession.”

Justice Singh urged Deonarine to remember the quote, since it describes qualities that every attorney should have.
During a brief interview with the Guyana Chronicle, Deonarine said that service is very important to him, since most of his life has been spent in the Public Service.  He also has a vested interest in improving the local laws that focus on economic and social development.

In giving words of advice to his peers, he said: “I know it is a tough competition getting in the top 25, but that should not deter you. There might be times that are tough, and you want to quit, but sometimes you have to pull yourself back and take it one day at a time.”