Am I the only one that felt that the public outburst or meltdown of Justice Volney on being bypassed for promotion to the Court of Appeal was a bit over the top? I had promise myself to leave this issue alone , but in the interest of national security still thought it wise to do so. Let’s face it Trinidad like its much beloved North American big brother has fully elevated it status to fast becoming a very litigious society where every Tom, Dick, Harry, and Jaleel rushes to the court to rectify every conceivable affliction. It is therefore important to know and expect that our learned legal luminaries are stable, and display the necessary professional decorum that in no way tarnish the respectability of the office in the eyes of the general public. It should be noted, that this type of behavior is typical and might be expected from our Parliamentary leaders- especially the legal trained ones that tend to saturate our political chambers– but not from our esteemed Judges.

Now mind you we are already reeling with lack of confidence in members of the Judiciary particularly by the Opposition leader and cohorts, as many prefer to hold blind faith in archaic Law Lords at the Privy Council that represents the final neocolonial umbilical cord that Britannia has imbedded upon us. That however is a ‘ horse of a different color,’ as my Grand mother use to say, but I should perhaps leave such analysis for the moment, as in a democracy people should be allowed to fervently hold on to what they like especially if it perceived to hold some miniscule advantage.

I will tell you however, the thing that is always fascinating about lawyers is their double speaking abilities. To be an appeal court Judge claimed the former DPP, “you must be one in the elite club called the Judicial Education Institute where membership is largely determined by whether you have a godfather or godmother already in the nest.” “You must never express an independent viewpoint even though it may be the correct one to propound...You must attend all the invitations sent to you by officialdom in order to rub shoulders or appear to do so,” “You must be from the Christian right and must be seen to be involved whether as Chancellor, pastor, singer of all the psalms in the incantations of religious fervour.” Now there goes a few more of the state high profile cases, as you would think that the learned judge would know that you cannot beat up the people that can determine your fate later- justice beside.

If the good justice was as articulate as this back in the days as a lowly state attorney, the Police Service would have been much more victorious in some of the several cases he presented and bumbled before the High Court on their behalf, and he might be presently serving on the Privy Council long before 14 years had elapsed since his last promotion- pardon me, the Caribbean Court of Appeal -if such still exist and functioning. While we are on the subject, what is this obsession with Christianity in this country of late by our high officials? If “Christian right” principles were the criteria for elevation as the disgruntled Judge would like us to believe, then how do you explain the successes of so many non Christians on the bench through the years including the last Chief Justice, former President, and former Elections and Boundary Chairman?

Quite a few of us have gone through this similar ordeal at some point of our lives like this good fellow. It is unfortunately the price one has to pay for dedicating ones life to public service instead of entering the much more fulfilling career options of business and private enterprise favored by some of our more culturally balanced nationals. Get over it Mr. Justice and put duty before personal gains as your country needs your full attention at this stage. Remember we have a few big fish corrupt business and political officials to persecute. Speaking of that however, some like Ms. Dana Seetahal Seetahal -one time Special lawyer for the State , might be silently saying as she sip a cup of Choice coffee , ‘serves the bastard right for giving $400,000 bail to that two bit criminal Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr on July 2006 bail,’ against her expressed request for his distinctive roles in terrorism and sedition. Trinidad is nice, yes? Especially when there are paybacks we can all agree.