While discussing the revocation of parking rights of lawyers at the High Court’s yard, Attorney Grant Connell, in an interview with ANN spoke on the political split that is present within the Bar Association.
During the interview Connell was asked whether the association would be taking any action pertaining to the sudden move by the Government. He said that this is not likely due to a split, brought about by difference in politics.
‘Unfortunately the bar is seemingly split, you know, politics has infected the bar if I am being honest. It’s clear as day, I wish it was not like that because lawyers have a significant contribution to make to the development of our people, you know they are looked up to, and they should play their role.’ Connell said.
According to the Attorney of over 18 years, politics to him, is similar to cancer.
‘When you have this thing called politics, you know politics is nothing but a cancer and politicians I see as big pharma, one has to exist for the other to continue to exist, and when you bring that into the bar, you have one side tugging the other side, this person–you know all these sarcastic remarks, you have meeting this side ain’t coming because–you know–and that’s when the bar becomes a dog without teeth,’ he said.
Connell said with the bar association divided politically it is unable to function as it should, using the analogy of the two sides of a jaw working together.
‘One side of the jaw grinding the other, the teeth are not coming together for the purpose for which they are there: to grind, to cut–cut down the food to make the digestion easier. If you grind down all the teeth then you have a toothless dog and then it’s no effect,’ the attorney said.
Speaking in reference to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves informing lawyers that they would no longer be permitted to park in the court’s yard, Connell noted that the bar association had made no statement on the matter, but that he would ‘put forward my humble suggestion to the president of the bar’.
He said that it is his hope that through this suggestion that the President of the association then have an audience with the Prime Minister to hopefully have the decision reversed.