BY KERITH KENTISH

PUNCH LINE? HMMMfor

you, my HWLS familyIll try: or-
ganization second to none world-
renowned judges/mediators his-
torically-beautiful Osgoode Hall 5
competition days 6 fact patterns
24 teams SECOND PLACE!
When mediation profes-
sionals leave their jobs to attend the
competition because they heard
about TEAM HWLS, that is the
moment in which you appreciate
the value of months of preparation:
Thursday ADR clinic sessions
(which Shermaine and I are not
registered for); Saturday 10 am to
whenever meetings; 3 am emails;
Ode to the HWLS Underdogs
I N THI S
I SSUE:
Human Rights
Clinic 2012
2
Mediation -
The Way for
the Future
3
Stetson
International
Environmental
Moot Court
Competition
4
Signpost 7:
The
Unbeatable
HWLS Team
5
Excellence
at Client
Interviewing
Competition
6

The ACLI

7

Island Nights

8
Sports Day 10
What Not to
Wear
12
Soca Under
Lockdown
18

M A R C H 2 0 1 2 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3

THE GAVEL
THE GAVEL

A P U B L I C A T I O N O F
T H E H U G H W O O D I N G L A W S C H O O L

Later that evening, we got
news that we advanced to the 8 am
Quarter Final Round on Wednes-
day. Soon after, we advanced to the
Semi-Final round to take place that
afternoon, that is, four hours to
prepare a new fact pattern, new
representation plan, new opening
statements, new strategy all with
VERY LOW ENERGY. But hear
what? WE made it to the FI-
NALSsitting opposite Osgoode
Hall Law School.
(Continued on page 3)
and that phone call from Fran
about an article she printed for us
to read as per Mrs. Yearwood-
Welchs instruction (Fantastic
Coach/Motivator).
We arrived prepared for
the Preliminary Rounds (3 difficult
fact patterns). The final fact pattern
in that round on Tuesday afternoon
focused on negotiating a soil reme-
diation contract. Southwestern Uni-
versity was noticeably stunned when
we easily displayed our familiarity
with soil remediation language.
TEAM HWLS (L-R) Mrs. Yearwood-Welch,
Kerith Kentish, and
Shermaine Desnoes
Human Rights Clinic 2012
BY DIANA AUGUISTE

THE EIGHT STUDENTS who made up the
Human Rights Clinic were initially a little sur-
prised and perhaps a little disenchanted with the
manner the course was going to be conducted.
We soon learnt that the course would
comprise of three components fairly unrelated to
what we thought would have been inclusive in the
clinic. The components included:
A humanitarian aspect;
A school education project; and
A personal paper.

The humanitarian aspect involved the group un-
dertaking a book drive for the purpose of collect-
ing 1,800 non-curricular books suitable for chil-
dren between the ages of eight to twelve years.
The objective was to donate these books to un-
der resourced schools in Trinidad and Tobago.
This component proved to be the most
challenging for the group. It involved seeking do-
nations from individuals and corporate citizens,
fund raising, and soliciting the assistance of the
community to contribute a used book to the
project. Two major fund raising activities under-
taken by the group included a cake sale with a
difference at the Hugh Wooding Law School and
one at the University of the West Indies Campus,
St. Augustine.
Notwithstanding the challenges experi-
enced by the group in reaching its target, we
learnt a number of valuable lessons and life skills.
Team work was an important feature, devotion
to a cause, and learning that sometimes you
dont always get what you ask for even if its for a
good cause. The project was successfully com-
pleted with the handing over of the books to the
Ministry of Education on the March 8
th
, 2012.
The writers found the school education
project to be a highlight of the clinic and quite
rewarding. We were organized in groups of twos
and we were to attend at various schools within
Trinidad to speak to the students on various
human rights issues. Each group had to make a
total of four hours presentation. The topics
ranged from discrimination to state of emergency
and how it infringes on fundamental rights among
others.
The final component was to write a
proposal to the Attorney General of our jurisdic-
tions identifying a piece of legislation which in-
fringes on the human rights of the citizens and
making recommendations for addressing such
breaches.
Credits
THE GAVEL is the official
newsletter of the Hugh
Wooding Law School situ-
ated at Gordon Street, St.
Augustine, Trinidad and
Tobago. It is published
three times a year by a joint
committee of staff and stu-
dents.
Contributions and
comments are welcomed from
staff, students or any other inter-
ested parties.
Send all e-mails to
hwls.newsletter@gmail.
com.

Editorial Committee:
Nisha Mathura-Allahar
(Staff)
Rudranath Maharaj
(Staff)
Lila Rodriguez-Roberts
(Student)
Ay o d e l e Mu r r a y
(Student)
Vaasha A. Parag
(Student)
Tamar Grant (Student)
Nikeh M. C. Smithen
(Student)

Editor:
Lila Rodriguez-Roberts

Design and Layout:
Vaasha A. Parag
Nikeh M. C. Smithen

Photography:
Jonathan Bhagan
THANK YOU

THE GAVEL NEWS
Team would like to
acknowledge our
appreciation of those
members of the
administrative staff who help
us to publish every issue.
Specifically we wish to thank
Michael Rampersadsingh,
Shevkumar Singh, Marlene
Herriera, James Allen, Diane
Williams, and Roger A.
Ramgoolam. Many hands
make the work light .

P A G E 2


HWLS STUDENTS of the Human Rights Clinic
pack the final book donations
Safraz Hussain, Yoshodra Rampersad, Russell
King, Lesah Denny, Joel Roper and the entire
ADR Clinic, Fran Campbell, and Selwyn Pie-
ters.
LastlyDO NOT BE FOOLED
BY MRS. YEARWOOD-WELCHS
SMI LE! CONSI DER YOURSELF
WARNED! That smile appropriately shaped
itself to that of a drill sergeant when it was
time to prepare for battle. I suppose that if
you see Shermaine around, and if you ask
nicely, maybe shell act it out fuh yuh! She ha
de ting dung to a T! Fun talk aside, we are
still unsure whether a thank you to Mrs.
Yearwood-Welch is even enough. Its a start.
Suffice it to say, she is now more than a tu-
torshe is now an eternal friend and motiva-
tor. We trust that shed take a bow.
As second place finishers, the regis-
tration fee for next year has been waived.
We have set the benchmark which you must
(Continued from page 1)
As Co-Founder, Cliff Hendler said, I saw
HWLS grow every round. We didnt win the
competitionwe won individual and pro-
fessional growth.
Speaking of co-founders...OUR
very own Shermaine Desnoes copped the
ICMA Founders Award for Most Out-
standing Individual Competitor!!!!!!!! In
one Round, very early on in the competition,
a judge told her, most sincerely: ...of the two
years that Ive been judging this competition, I
have never seen someone use the power of the
mediator as effectively as you did.
After every round we had the op-
portunity to interact with the judges
(mediation professionals).
It would be remiss of us not to
thank the persons that have made this experi-
ence the success that it was: Justice Char-
maine Pemberton, Ms. Natasha Seecharan,
P A G E 3 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
T H E G A V E L
Ode to the HWLS Underdogs (contd)
BY SHERMAINE DESNOES

ITS IRONIC THAT my media-
tion journey started with the Medi-
ation Board of Trinidad and Toba-
gos inaugural debate last year
where I vigorously argued against
mediation being the best approach
to conflict resolution. I still stick to
my arguments represented then
BUT only by reason of syntax and
the unfeasible demand to declare
one approach the best. Little did I
know that I would become one of
its biggest fans and go on ahead to
participate at the International
Competition for Mediation Advoca-
cy in Canada.
The first thing I would say about
the experience is that learning Mediation
Advocacy has undisputedly been the best part
of my almost 5 years of law studies. For
some, the skill may be unclear because our
current ADR programme (through the Nego-
tiation/Mediation Workshop) gives you a
snapshot into the role of the lawyer in medi-
ation, with more focus on how to be media-
tors.
Contrary to what might be thought,
lawyers play a significant role in the process
and the level of preparation is equally or even
greater than that of trial. There is so much to
it, you wouldnt believe. The reality is a lot of
legal work never actually reaches the court
room. Many clients go to lawyers to deter-
mine ways to settle all sorts of issues and to
come up with multiple solutions. How can
you best help your client? Knowing what is
your clients Best Alternative to a Negotiat-
Mediation - The Way for the Future
ed Agreement (BATNA) is some-
thing that can be mathematically
calculated and is absolutely helpful at
a negotiation table. Using a formula
that writer Hal Abramson calls a
decision tree analysis helps to de-
termine that BATNA. So for exam-
ple, a client may have a claim for $3
million and his chances are 70:30, if
after doing the formula it is learnt
that he would ultimately get for him-
self $1 million, then at the negotia-
tion table you would know that an
offer along those lines should be
acceptable. Again, this is just a small
part of mediation advocacy, a skill
that is becoming increasingly im-
portant especially in light of our Civil Proce-
dure Rules and as a solution to the backlog of
cases in our courts.
As it is, our advocacy programme
does not provide for negotiation theory or
practice so how will we learn these specific
skills? My advice is, take part in any opportu-
nities such as the ICMA or the ADR Clinic
and read the materials which are available in
the library on the subject area. By doing so
you will develop your problem solving skills
and become a well rounded attorney. I have
seen the light and I wish the same for you.
See you across the table.

MEDIATION
HAS CHANGED MY LIFE
(L-R) Mrs. Yearwood-Welch,
Kerith Kentish, and Shermaine Desnoes
sit on with much discomfort, that is, the dis-
comfort of hard work, dedication, discipline
and diligence.


International Competition for Media-
tion Advocacy (ICMA) 2012 RANKING

1. Osgoode Hall;
2. Hugh Wooding Law School;
3. Maryland (Carey);
4. Fordham;
5. Stetson;
6. Texas Wesleyan;
7. Ottawa;
8. Georgetown;
9. Victoria;
10. Saskatchewan.
P A G E 4
BY MAWENA BRATHWAITE

THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, Washington College
of Law (WCL), hosted the North American Atlantic
Round of the 16
th
Annual Stetson International Environ-
mental Moot Court Competition from February 3
rd
5
th
,
2012 in Washington, DC. The competition was organized
by the WCL Program on International and Comparative
Environmental Law by David Hunter and Erika Lennon.
The WCL hosted seven (7) teams
from the United States as well as the Hugh Wooding Law
School (HWLS) and the Eugene Dupuch Law School. The
HWLS was represented by the 3-member team compris-
ing Kyle Prescod, Nikeh Smithen and Mawena Brathwaite
and was ably coached by Lecturer, Mr. Roger Ramgoolam.
The competition problem was both timely and
informative, dealing with the legal issues of Nuclear Acci-
dent and Sovereign Debt. The first issue was whether or
not a Requesting State was liable to reimburse the Re-
quested State under the Convention on Assistance in the
Case of a Nuclear Accident outside of its territory and the
second was whether a State was liable to compensate a
State for the Unlawful Expropriation and Default on Sov-
ereign Bonds.
The team performed very well with our very
own Nikeh Smithen taking the spot of Best Oralist in the
First Round of the Competition while the team mooted
against The John Marshall Law School from Chicago, Illi-
nois, USA. Kyle Prescod was also highly praised for his
use of emotive language.
The competition was overall a wonderful and
very educational experience where all three (3) team
members learnt the importance of having a more conver-
sational styled approach in arguments.
T H E G A V E L

ATLANTIC
REGIONAL
PARTICI-
PANTS
(right) from Law
Schools in the
Eastern United
States and the
Caribbean enjoy
the Welcome
Reception with
WCL students,
WCL alumni,
WCL profes-
sors, and envi-
ronmental
lawyers
Stetson International Environmental
Moot Court Competition 2012


HWLS PARTICIPANTS
(left) at the Regional
Qualifying Rounds
of the Stetson International
Environmental Moot
Court Competition 2012
prepare for their First Round
(L-R) Kyle Prescod,
Mawena Brathwaite, and
Nikeh Smithen
P A G E 5 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
T H E G A V E L
BY WESLEY GEORGE

HAVING BEEN ASKED to write an article
expressing the experience of participating in
the annual Margaret Forte Mooting Competi-
tion I sat in quiet solace wondering where to
possibly begin.
The training is one I'm sure we will
never forget. It is quite difficult to express in
a single word how it felt to be addressed by
distinguished legal minds such a Justice Holdip,
Justice Moosai, Justice Mendoca, Justcie Pem-
berton, Justice Brown Antoine, the Director
of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard SC
and experienced judicial support staff all
gathered to listen to an opening speech for
the first time as a training exercise.
The events of that day set the
standard for training: To become works of
art. The artist, her Honourable Madam
Justice Weekes', meticulous attention to
detail, speech pattern, vocabulary and dic-
tion were chisels which turned student at-
torneys into highly capable advocates.
The moot finals, reserved in a
courtroom of The Bahamas Hall of Justice
tingled with the excitement of onlookers
positioned in the public gallery, jury com-
prised of University Students and finally actu-
al judicial support staff who dutifully played
their role.
If one were to assume that Amanda
and Benjamin were nervous in the fulfillment
of their roles, the jury and the judges would
never have noticed. Amandas opening
speech was delivered flawlessly to the jury,
Benjamins closing was considered excellent
in the opinion of the judges.
Participating in the Margaret Forte Mooting
competition is a rare opportunity and we
take with us several important lessons:

Be prepared
Be confident
Be bold
And most importantly, Be ethical
I am greatly appreciative for the
opportunity given to not just represent an
esteemed institution but also to experience
though not to fullest extent what it is like to
be a criminal prosecutor.
Gratitude is extended to Madam
Justice Weekes for her time, patience and for
imparting to us her vast and diverse legal
experience. It was a truly an honor to have
worked with Amanda Riley and Benjamin
Drakes.
On a whole the experience is one
that will never be forgotten and has now
joined other momentous occasions to be
considered a signpost on the path to the end
of my final academic journey.

The precious remains.
SIGNPOST 7: The Unbeatable HWLS Team
THE HWLS TRUMPS AT FINALS - AGAIN!
2012 HWLS Team (L-R) Wesley George, Amanda Riley, and Benjamin Drakes
A Scene from Margaret-Forte Semi-Finals
held at the HWLS,
Trinidad and Tobago (below)
P A G E 6 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
T H E G A V E L
BY LUAN
HARFORD

THE LEX CARIB-
BEAN Client Inter-
viewing Competition
was hosted by the
Eugene Dupuch Law
School (EDLS) and
held on January 27,
2012 at the Lecture
Theatre for Culinary
and Hospitality Man-
agement in Nassau,
Bahamas. The Hugh
Woo d i n g L a w
School (HWLS) was
represented by Oliv-
ia Cadogan (above
left), Nickardo Law-
son (centre) and Luan Harford (right). The
team was coached by Mrs. Martha Des Vignes
and Ms. Barbara Lodge-Johnson.
Before the programme commenced,
the participating teams and their coaches met
briefly with the panel of judges, which consist-
ed of two renowned attorneys and a clinical
psychiatrist: Mr. Harvey Tynes QC, Mrs. Sha-
ron Wilson, and Dr. Timothy Barrett respec-
tively. The judges were given no indication of
the respective jurisdictions of the participating
teams, in an effort to ensure fairness.
After a brief prayer, followed by
opening remarks from the organizer Cheryl
Grant-Bethel, the Eugene Dupuch Law School
commenced the competition with their inter-
view. The team was represented by Camryn
Cartwright, Renaldo Toote and Gia Wright.
The second team to be called was
Norman Manley Law School which comprised
Tosya Francis, Lecia Gaye Gordon and Randall
Sheppard.
Each team was allocated 30 minutes
to conduct its interview. During the 30
minutes, all relevant details were to be gath-
ered and the client was to be advised, as far as
possible, on all relevant legal issues. An addi-
tional 10 minutes was given for the team to
debrief, share their thoughts of the client, iden-
tify the legal issues and recommend an appro-
priate course of action.
The client/actor played the role of
Anthony Ball who had been charged, together
with Chester Dames, in the kidnapping, armed
robbery and murder of Fred Fisher. He admit-
ted to the police that he and Chester Dames
kidnapped Fisher to rob him. He further admit-
ted that they had taken Fisher to a deserted
beach, stolen his money and jewellery at
gunpoint, after which Chester Dames shot
and killed him. However, Anthony Ball
claimed that he was forced by Dames to
participate in the crimes.
Finally, the team from the HWLS
was called to wind-up the competition. The
interview was conducted by Nickardo and
Olivia who appeared relaxed and comforta-
ble with the client. The pair asked deep-
rooted questions and did an excellent job in
gathering relevant details. In fact, they were
the only ones to discover that the client had
unlawfully escaped police custody.
Both Nickardo and Olivia had a
good knowledge of the laws of The Bahamas
and of recent amendments, to which they
made reference. They set out the defence of
duress for the client and explained to him
the reality of the charges which lay before
him. The team even advised Anthony Ball of
the importance of
making provisions for
his family, which was
highly commendable.
The chemistry be-
tween the two was
evident. Each compli-
mented the other, and
the roles were well-
balanced.
The judges
retired for almost an
hour to consider their
decision. The teams
waited in the halls,
eager to hear the re-
sults. Regardless of
what they were, the
HWLS was well repre-
sented in Nassau.
Clinical Psychiatrist, Dr. Timothy
Barrett, delivered the comments and scores
of the judging panel. The team from the
Hugh Wooding Law School was praised for
having the best interviewing skills and for
extracting the most information from the
client. Full scores were allocated for the
postmortem segment which the panel found
was exemplary. However, the team was
scored poorly by Attorney-at-Law Sharon
Wilson who felt that sufficient advice as to
an appropriate course of action was not
given.
The team from Eugene Dupuch
was said to have taken a while to warm up
to the client in the words of Dr. Barrett,
but was commended for being the most
professional. Norman Manley's team was
praised for having the most empathy for the
client's situation, but fell short for being far
too structured.
The judges declared the team from
the Eugene Dupuch Law School the winners
of the competition, with second place to
Norman Manley Law School's team, and
third place to the Hugh Wooding Law
School's team. The client gave a few brief
remarks and commented on how comforta-
ble he felt during the interview with the
team from Hugh Wooding. Each participant
and coach received ceremonial plaques and
tokens of appreciation. The winning team
was presented with the ceremonial shield.
Special thanks to Mrs. Martha Des
Vignes and Ms. Barbara Lodge-Johnson for
believing in our abilities and prepping us for
the competition.
Excellence at Client Interviewing Competition

The team from
Hugh Wooding
the best
interviewing
skills
exemplary
- Dr. Timothy Barett

P A G E 7 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
T H E G A V E L
BY JONATHAN BHAGAN

ITS MARCH 9
TH
, 2012 around 9 am and
Im running down the fire escape of the
Ministry of Justice building, the Attorney
General of Jamaica (AG) in front of me, my
colleagues from the Hugh Wooding Law
School and the University of the West Indies
(Cave Hill Campus) at my side, and numer-
ous professors and judges from Florida,
Jamaica and the wider Caribbean at my back.
I asked if anyone knew how strong
the tremor was-the small quake that was
making us evacuate the building. Nobody
knew for sure. The AG got a call to evacu-
ate right after the first oral presentation by
Miss Fleming and here we are now.
The American Caribbean Law
Initiative Clinic held in Jamaica was an
amazing experience. It has developed our
advocacy skills, both written and oral, and
taught us so much more. We had to collab-
orate with law students from Florida, Jamai-
ca, The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean to
work on real issues given by the AGs office
in Jamaica.
Aside from some things being lost
in translation, the commonalities between
our legal systems made it possible to work
together without much difficulty. We all
came from states with written constitutions
and influence from the British common law
(except one participant from Colombia I
believe), this allowed us a lot of common
ground.
It is to be said that the Hugh
Wooding Law School delegation, consisting
of J-Lany Williams, Aisha De Four, Ayannah
Fleming and Jonathan Bhagan were all strong
forces in their respective groups. We all
made oral presentations before the AG and
his colleagues and at the practice moot one
of us was named the best presenter out of
all the participants.
After the work was done on Fri-
day, we had the opportunity to enjoy Jamai-
ca. A trip to Dunns River Falls was arranged
and this allowed us to form closer bonds
with our colleagues from the Law Schools of
Eugene Dupuch in The Bahamas, Florida
Coastal and FIU, and of course Norman
Manley in Jamaica.
Overall, the clinic can be called
nothing less than a resounding success for
the Hugh Wooding Law School. Special
thanks to our tutor Mr. Akhail Khan and
lecturer Mr. Emerson John-Charles who
accompanied us on the trip and assisted us
in the clinic.
The American Caribbean Law Initiative Clinic (ACLI)

Represent!
HWLS
Delegation
(L-R) J-Lany
Williams,
Aisha De Four,
Ayannah
Flemming,
and
Jonathan
Bhagan
GO ICC Team Go!
THE ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL Crimi-
nal Court (ICC) Moot Court Competition
(Regional Round for the Americas and Caribbe-
an) was held from February 10
th
- 12
th
, 2012 at
Pace University School of Law, New York. The
Hugh Wooding Law School (HWLS) was repre-
sented by a four-member team consisting of
Johanan Lafeuillee-Doughlin, Mansergh Griffith,
Kevin Webster, and Russell Warner.
The HWLS team successfully compet-
ed at the Regional Round and will go on to rep-
resent the School at the Finals which will be held
at The Hague, the Netherlands on April 27
th
,
2012 in an ICC Court Room and will be adjudi-
cated by ICC judges.
The HWLS congratulates the ICC
team on its success thus far and wishes them
excellence at the Finals. GO HWLS team go!

(Look out for more news in our next issue.)

HWLS-ICC TEAM (above) (L-R) Kevin Webster, Russell Warner,
Johanan Lafeuillee-Doughlin, and Mansergh Griffitho

P A G E 8
Vere; Mango Ti, which told the story of
the evolution of the steel pan in Trinidad
and Tobago and celebrated the 100
th

anniversary of the first recording of a folk
song in the twin island state. The pro-
gram featured drama, song and dance by
students and guests, the most notable
performance being that of the 1999 Road
March Champion Marvin Lewis rendering
some of his popular hits. This showcase
was followed by culinary offerings of
some of the most delicious local cuisine,
including green fig salad, baked chicken,
corn soup and doubles. Guests eagerly
consumed these delicacies in anticipation
of the Cooler fete which was promised
to follow. It was the general consensus
that this culminating segment lived up to
its expectation as the scintillating melo-
dies of soca and dancehall music met the
talented gyrations of guests in attendance
for a terrific time under the umbrella of
the stars and moonlight. When the clock
struck 2.30am and it was time to depart,
guests left well-satisfied and looking for-
ward to both some much-needed rest
and Trinbago Night 2013.
T H E G A V E L
Displaying
the
Indo-
Trini
culture
through
dance!
(right)

Carlon
belting
out a
tune on
the steel
pan
(right)
TRINBAGO
NIGHT
BY RENE JOSEPH

AWASH IN A sea of red, white and black,
the Hugh Wooding Law School welcomed the
arrival of Trinbago Night on January 29
th
, 2012
themed The True Meaning of Sun, Sea and
Sand. The Night commenced with the custom-
ary cultural presentation captioned, Mango
Experience the Melody!
(above)
Afro Trini Roots
P A G E 9 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
BY THANDIWE BENN

AFTER MANY HOURS of hard work,
sacrifice and great anticipation, Guyana Night
2012 was hosted at the Hugh Wooding Law
School. The date was March 10
th
, 2012. The
theme was My Guyana El Dorado. The first
line of this national song reads, My Guyana
El Dorado, best of all the world to me and
the Guyanese students successfully presented
an extravagant display of the best of every-
thing Guyanese.
The cultural presentation was held
under the theme Guyanas Got Talent. The
individual talent pieces introduced by our
local Ryan Seacrest aimed at displaying the
various aspects of our culture. The singing of
folk songs; the ethnic dances displaying our
six races; the energetic contemporary dances;
the dramatic presentation of the Ole Higue
(and we assure you, the Ole Higue suffered
no personal injury that evening); and even the
questions asked by the host were designed to
inform the audience about some fact about
Guyana. The comedic and sometimes harsh
comments of our panelist of judges certainly
added to the delight of those in attendance.
No Guyana Night would be com-
plete without a vast array of delicious Guya-
nese cuisine. To display the dishes of our
races, the students prepared Pepperpot, an
Amerindian dish; Cook-up rice of African
origin; Roti and Potato Curry of Indian origin;
Chowmein, a Chinese dish; and meats and
salads of European and Portuguese persua-
sion. The Lecture Hall in which the dinner
was hosted was decorated in gold and black
to further highlight our theme of My Guy-
ana El Dorado.
The evening concluded with a
stress relieving and highly enjoyable after
party featuring the musical styling of the
Hugh Wooding Law Schools own Selecta J.
It was certainly an evening well spent!
The Guyanese students of the
Hugh Wooding Law School wish to sincerely
thank all those who assisted us in hosting yet
another successful Guyana Night and it was
our pleasure to show you what makes Guy-
ana, best of all the world to us!
T H E G A V E L
Guyanese
men of
HWLS
represent!
(right)
Chasing
the Ole
Higue
(soucouyant)
(left)
A lively
Dance
from the
Georget
own!
(left)
Displaying
the 6 rac-
es of Guy-
ana
through
superb
dance
(right)
Guyana in all her Glory
P A G E 1 0
Spor t s Day!
T H E G A V E L
Usain Bolt has competition from the HWLS females! (above)
HWLS Staff getting
ready for the March
Past. To the joy of the
students, the staff did
not retain their title to
the March Past event
this year! (below)
March Past teams
gather for the show
down!
Spor t s Day!
P A G E 1 1 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
Going for
Gold
The men get
heated in play
for the basket-
ball pre-sports
day events
(left)
T H E G A V E L
Let me at em!
Henri gears up for
a table tennis
battle in the pre-
sports day
competitions
(above)
Orange
team take
their march
past routine
down low
(left)
Racing
centi-
pede
style!
(above)
WINNING TEAM!!
P A G E 1 2
What not to Wear
BY TAMAR GRANT

THE SOMBER COLOUR scheme of this learned profes-
sion can be stifling to the most sparkling of personalities. But
the legal fraternity is steeped in tradition and norms which
are not likely to change overnight. Therefore my fashion for-
ward colleagues and I are presented with the challenge of
injecting life into a morbidly appropriate wardrobe without
waking the dead, so to speak.







T H E G A V E L

In light of the traditions of this long established profession, the
dress code at the HWLS sets out the general standard expected of all
students. However it is by no means exhaustive and thus requires that
we exercise a measure of discretion when determining what is appropri-
ate. To paraphrase the Honourable Madam Justice Weekes, no one has
forced you to choose the legal profession thus you must have a care and
regard for the traditions and norms of the legal fraternity.
In this photo Nikita
demonstrates how to sen-
sibly add personal style.
She is wearing a nautical
inspired jacket paired down
with a black skirt and con-
ventional court shoes. One
tasteful statement piece
may be added to a tradi-
tional outfit to give that
touch of
individual style without
being irreverent.
Model: Nikita Vaughn
(left)
Nothing beats a nicely
tailored suit which flatters
the body.
However ladies, fitted
clothing is not the same
thing as figure hugging. Flip
flops are also not suited.
Model: Laurissa Hosein
(right)


A colourful shirt is another way
to add a punch of personality to
your outfit. But bright colours
such as the red shown to the
left is definitely not sober.
Dark maroons or pastel pinks,
worn demurely on the inside of
a jacket are more appropriate.
Model: Laurissa Hosein
(left)
Sometimes the tra-
ditional three piece
suit may feel like a
straight jacket. Jer-
maine demonstrates
an alternative which
may be more agree-
able, a vest suit.
Model: Jermaine
Jervis (above left)
Another option for
guys can be a cardi-
gan or even a polo
shirt. But these
should be dressed up
with formal pants and
shoes to maintain
some level of sophis-
tication as demon-
strated by Keon.
Model: Keon Gon-
zales (above right)
Henris ensemble highlights many of
the infractions which can be
committed by guys but have
not been seen at the HWLS.
Firstly, wearing a regular
T-shirt instead of dress shirt.
Secondly, a pair of jeans instead of
wearing a dress pants, which would
only pass for office wear on a
construction site.
Finally, gentlemen, suits and soft-shoes
do not make appropriate office wear. If
you do not like cockroach mashers
may I suggest a nice pair of loafers.
Model: Henri Mangal (right)
Reynold models
the traditional
attire for males, a
three piece suit.
Note the use of a
proper satchel
and not haversack
as seen below.
Model:
Reynold Price
(above centre)
P A G E 1 3 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3

T H E G A V E L
Barristers and Robes...ever wondered WHY?
Article sourced from the Western Australian Bar Association Review 29 Issue 1, June 2005
Counsel
P A G E 1 4
Veera Bhajan Extraordinaire
BY NIKEH M. C. SMITHEN

(Veera Bhajan is a 2011 graduate of
the Hugh Wooding Law School. To
most she is known as the girl who was
born without arms, but not many real-
ise what a dynamic and resilient young
lady she is. Read more.)

The Gavel: Now that you have
completed your programme at
the Hugh Wooding Law School
for your Certificate of Legal
Education what is next on the
agenda for Veera Bhajan?
Veera Bhajan: I wish to build a
successful career in the legal field and
T H E G A V E L
gain as much
exposure as I
possibly can in
the legal profes-
sion.

TG: What
inspired you
to study law
in the first
place?
VB: There isnt
any particular
reason why I
chose to study
law but as time
passed I have
realized that
law is where my
passion truly
lies.

TG: You
were the
2004 recipi-
ent of the
Hu mmi n g
Bird Medal
( S l i v e r )
Award, the
2009 recipi-
ent of the
Express Indi-
vidual of the
Year Award,
and in May
2011 you
were hon-
oured by the
Congress of
the People.
How do you mark these
achievements in your life?
VB: Receiving these awards were
defining moments in my life and I am
truly grateful. Express individual of the
Year Award is particularly special to
me, the main reason being I was voted
number one by the people of Trinidad
and Tobago.

TG: What role do you see
yourself playing in the future of
Trinidad and Tobago, whether
on a micro or macro scale?
VB: I wish to use my story as an inspi-
ration to others and as such I would
hope that my story would have a posi-
tive impact in the lives of others. I wish
to become a motivational speaker and
also have a foundation someday.

TG: I would imagine that there
are certain persons who would
have helped propel you to
where you are today. Who
would you like to acknowledge?


VB: My parents and sister have been
the biggest influence in my life, and
their enduring love and commitment
have allowed me to achieve my best.
My friends and teachers also had a
great impact in my life as they have
always given me the encouragement
and support I needed throughout my
school life and private life.

TG: Apart from these persons
do you have any other role
models?
VB: My mother is my role model. She
possesses enormous strength and
compassion and is a wonderful exam-
ple to all women, especially mothers.
My mother is my greatest blessing, I
believe she has done much more for
me than I could have done for myself
with two arms.

TG: What is one thing that
people generally do not know
about you?
VB: I am very emotional and also
quite impatient at times.

TG: Who is your favourite
West Indies cricket player and
why?
VB: I admire Dwayne Bravo for his
enthusiasm and spirit on the field. I
admire his passion for the game.

TG: What words of inspiration
and encouragement would you
like to leave with us?
VB: Despite the numerous challenges
you are faced with, always stay focused
and never lose sight of your goals. If
you fall, pick yourself up and try again.
Choose to complain less and give more.
Be thankful each day for your countless
blessings and always give your best at
whatever you do. Have a clear sense of
purpose and always remember with
self-belief and confidence nothing is
impossible.

Veera Bhajan,
Attorney-at-Law
(above)
Whats Happening Thats
Quality
P A G E 1 5 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
PREPARING FOR ACTT
RE-REGISTRATION

The Council of Legal Education (Hugh
Wooding Law School) was registered by
the Accreditation Council of Trinidad and
Tobago (ACTT) on June 10
th
, 2009 in
accordance with Act No. 16 of 2004. Reg-
istration is valid for three years after
which an institution ceases to legally oper-
ate. Re-registration is done on the basis of
an institutions compliance with seven
criteria: i) legal, policy and regulatory re-
quirements; ii) governance and administra-
tion; iii) quality management; iv) resource
management; v) teaching-learning process;
vi) review; and vii) continuous improve-
ment. The Hugh Wooding Law School is
again preparing for re-registration with the
ACTT and shall have a site visit by evalua-
tors from the ACTT in the coming
months to enable the School to be re-
registered by its legal deadline.

PRINCIPAL LAUNCHES
PROJECT I.M.P.A.C.T.

The Principals Project I.M.P.A.C.T and
Competition was launched on Friday, Feb-
ruary 3
rd
, 2012 and runs until April. The
Project which is managed by the Office for
Quality Assurance, Research and Effective-
ness provides students with the oppor-
tunity to respond to the improvement
demands of the Law School by implement-
ing small scale solutions. Further infor-
mation could be obtained from the Stu-
dent Ambassadors.

MEET THE QUALITY
AMBASSADORS

The Office recently appointed a delegation
from among the finalists of the 2011 Prin-
cipals Public Speaking Competition as
Student Ambassadors. The first year stu-
dents who have graciously agreed to vol-
unteer their services for the next year are:
Deborah Carrington, Cara Shillingford,
Nikeisha Thompson and Stephen Roberts.
The students are led by Johanan Lafeuillee-
Doughlin, Head of Student Ambassadors
Corps, and last years Project I.M.P.A.C.T.
winner.

TUTORS LEARN HOW TO DESIGN
BLENDED COURSES

The Law School has a number of incubator
projects designed to improve teaching and
learning across the organization. In Decem-
ber last year, the Office hosted a Tutor
workshop on blended learning design. Blend-
ed learning enables courses to be designed
using traditional face-to-face and non-
traditional teaching methods, including use
of computer-based and online learning. The
facilitator for the workshop was Dr. John
Gedeon, a locally-based American educa-
tional technologist, who has many years
international experience in education and
training. In May, Tutors will be exposed to
2 workshops on skills for teaching adult
students and methods for the assessment of
student learning outcomes facilitated by Dr.
Eduardo Ali and Dr. Charmaine Bissessar, an
educational consultant.

QUALITY OFFICE GOES CROSS
BORDER

The Office has been providing technical and
advisory support for the establishment and
maintenance of quality systems at the Eu-
gene Dupuch and Norman Manley Law
Schools. In order to offer this cross border
support the Office is designing and shall
soon establish a virtual knowledge and learn-
ing exchange for the sharing of best practic-
es and ways to improve administration,
teaching, learning and services across all
three Law Schools. Additionally, the Office
has launched the first ever Annual Inter-Law
Schools Teaching Effectiveness (LSTE) Con-
ference to be held in Nassau, Bahamas in
March this year. Tutors across all three Law
Schools will share and benchmark their in-
novative teaching practices and new areas of
curriculum research with their peers.
T H E G A V E L

BY ALANNA LALL

LOVE IS PATIENT, love is kind,
It knows not face or age,
For love is blind
It is something that is hard to find,
It is a word that is difficult to define.

Falling in love is awfully simple,
But falling out is simply awful
It is a constant source of pleasure and pain,
Surely love is a thing that can make you go in-
sane
It is like a fire,
Whether it will burn your heart or warm it,
You can never tell
Only love can break and mend a heart- This is
what is often said!

And though love is love without saying I love
you,
It takes two souls dwelling in one to say I do
It is like playing a piano,
First you must play by the rules,
Then you must forget the rules and play from
your heart,
Cause it is something that cannot be taught.

It is bestowed as a gift - freely and willingly,
It is seeing an imperfect person perfectly
It means staying under the umbrella even after
the storm has passed,
Cause truly, it is something thats meant to last

It has no remedy or cure,
It is the melody of the heart,
Something thats true and pure
It clouds the heart with emotion and mind with
devotion,
It runs even deeper than the ocean
This is only known until the hour of separation.

Love is easy,
It is like making art,
All you need to do is follow your heart...
For love knows no boundaries,
It keeps no records of a beginning or ending,
Of right or wrong,
It creates priceless memories and endless mys-
teries,
For lovers, a moment can be eternity,
But eternity might just be the tick of a clock!
FROM THE DESK OF: DR. EDUARDO ALI

MANAGER- OFFICE FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE, RESEARCH
AND EFFECTIVENESS

P A G E 1 6
T H E G A V E L
IVCF BIBLE WEEK 2012
BY CANDACE SUBERO

THE HUGH WOODING Law School Chapter
of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF)
celebrated Bible Week from February 6
th
10
th
,
2012 at the Law Schools compound. The sched-
uled activities got started with the weekly meeting
that was held in the Lecture Theatre on Tuesday,
February 7
th
. The room was flooded with the
excitement and anticipation of those who attend-
ed as they eagerly sought to fellowship, grow and
worship God with their fellow colleagues. This
meeting was one with a difference since biblical
knowledge was tested and imparted by the use of a
Quiz and a game of charades. Persons who an-
swered correctly were the beneficiaries of give-
aways and prizes.
On February 8
th
, a Panel discussion enti-
tled, Friends with benefits, was conducted in the
Lecture Hall. Persons in attendance were privileged
to have Reverend Austin of the Tunapuna Open
Bible Church and Dr. Dianne Douglas, Clinical Psy-
chologist, as facilitators of this discussion. The Panel-
ists shared their knowledge, experience and profi-
cient advice as it relates to professional conduct and
practices which should be applied in achieving and
maintaining propriety in our working relationships
with others. One of the concepts which the Panelists
stressed was that we are sexual beings and since
God birthed this desire in us to express our sexuali-
ty, only a true appreciation of the covenant of mar-
riage would facilitate the proper expression of that
desire. The session was very informative and culmi-
nated in a question and answer segment followed by
hearty refreshments.
On the final day of this amazing week,
Thursday, February 9
th
, the IVCF hosted an after-
noon Praise Concert in the Lecture Theatre. This
event was well patronized. It commenced with a
lively worship segment and was followed by a scintil-
lating instrumental piece by musician extraordinaire
Reynold Price on the clarinet. Sandia Harold
Ramnarine who followed was equally entertaining.
She performed a highly energised, but yet graceful,
worship dance and did not struggle to captivate the
audience with her every impassioned movement.
This Praise Concert signified an enthralling end to a
week of activities for the IVCFs Bible Week which
was well received and appreciated by persons who
attended. Although the celebration was short, it
certainly served to enrich and bless the lives of the
students who were present.
Bible Week has served as a reminder that
even in the middle of hectic schedules and work that
may seem never-ending if we just take time to focus
on God, His peace will sustain us. It has helped to
remind us that Bible Week is not just a time set
aside to revel in things not usually enjoyed year
round but it is an opportunity to foster and harness a
closer relationship with God by finding fun and crea-
tive ways of enjoying His presence and basking in His
divine glory.
A fun, en-
lightening,
blissful and
Heavenly
experience.

- Candace Su-
bero
CONGRATULATIONS TRANSITIONAL STUDENTS!
HWLS Hindu Society Tour
P A G E 1 7 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
BY TAMAR GRANT

ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19
th
, 2011,
while some of my colleagues slept in after a
night of carnival activities, a small group of
us gathered at the Hugh Wooding Law
School to embark on a tour of landmarks in
Carapichaima in west-central Trinidad. The
experience was my first real opportunity for
sight-seeing and was made memorable by
the colourful and impressive structures visit-
ed, the impromptu side tours, wonderful
company, and in light of the season, appro-
priate sound tracks.
Our first stop was one of those
impromptu side tours. We visited Divali
Nagar, located in Chaguanas, which is a ma-
jor site during Divali celebrations held in
October. Although the lights and other dec-
orations had long since been removed, we
were taken by the striking view of a cobalt
coloured edifice of Lord Shiva, sitting in a
carefully maintained lush garden, against the
clear azure sky. The variations of blue hues
and green pigments were a welcome respite
from the sober colours of the law school.
Upon the suggestion of Shiva Boo-
doo, President of the HWLS Hindu Society,
we visited the primary attractions in reverse
order. It would be a fortuitous decision for
we arrived at the Siewdass Sadhu Shiv Man-
dir or Temple in the Sea just as prayers
had finished and the temple was being
closed. Ill advised, we lingered on the shore
marvelling at the illusion of a white temple
floating on the water before crossing the
300 feet footpath leading to the temple.
Fortunately, we were granted a few mo-
ments to enter the temple bare-footed and
examine the brightly coloured marble stat-
ues that filled the octagonal structure. We
wove our way around the back of the tem-
ple, noting the various prayer flags and offer-
ings dotting the shoreline, before retreating.
As we left, we paused by the commemora-
tive statue of Siewdass Sadhu, the man who
single handedly built the structure.
Backtracking along Orange Field
Road and turning onto Waterloo Road we
made our way to the Maha Sabha Indian
Caribbean Museum. It is the
only museum of its kind,
dedicated to the preserva-
tion of the material history
of East Indian and South
Asian descendants in the
Caribbean. On the museums
grounds was an example of a
hut lived in by indentured
servants and we could not
resist the opportunity to
goof around and take pho-
tos. We also examined the
various artefacts. Of particu-
lar interest were the displays of
musical instruments, art work,
jewellery and traditional garbs
including a pair of wooden
shoes which generated much interest. We
also browsed a collection of books and arti-
cles held by the library. As a former history
student, I found the visit to the museum
particularly intriguing and lamented the fact
that this type of material was not readily
available when I studied history at secondary
and tertiary level. After signing the visitors
log and saying our goodbyes, we made our
way to the last location.
The Hanuman Murti located at
The Dattatreya Yoga Centre in Orange Field
Road makes for an impressive sight. Tower-
ing over 85 feet tall, it is intricately carved
and brightly decorated revealing an incredi-
ble amount of creativity and ingenuity. The
group was so enthralled, that the prospect
of walking across sun-baked tiles barefooted
to get a full 360 degree view did not deter
them. The temple complex also boasts two
elephant statues which were alluring in their
own right and considerably easier to photo-
graph. Unfortunately we were unable to
enter the temple but we did wander around
the compound appreciating its structure and
design. One particularly nifty sight is set into
the dome roof of the entrance. There you
would see several brightly coloured, playful
statues, tightly packed into a crevice staring
down at you.
As we proceeded to leave the
Carapichaima area, Shiva took us on one last
detour to Brick Field. This is an area known
for bird watching where tours are conduct-
ed by boat. We did not venture out but
some of us took the opportunity to sit along
the river bank and watch it slowly meander
its way. The serene and tranquil atmosphere
gave me an opportunity for quiet reflection,
to think on things other than my civil assign-
ment and Trial Advocacy I presentation.
I would like to thank Dimple Singh
and Shiva Boodoo who organised the event
and served as our effective tour guides. I
would echo the sentiments of other group
members in requesting another tour, possi-
bly to the bird sanctuary, in the not too
distant future.
T H E G A V E L




HWLS students gather at the Lord Shiva Murti,
Divali Nagar (above)
Temple in the Sea

P A G E 1 8
T H E G A V E L
SOCA UNDER LOCKDOWN
BY RICHIE MAITLAND

ON FEBRUARY 2
ND
, 2012, I had the pleasure of
accompanying Mrs. Dianne Marshall-Holdip as her
guest at the 12
th
Annual Inmates Calypso Competi-
tion at the Maximum Security Prison in which she was
judging.
On entering, I felt the eerie feeling, which
though not quite that, was reminiscent of a mixture of
fear and repulsion, a sort of deep primal aversion that
I always get in institutions like prisons and mental
institutions. It didnt help in the least that I had been
to this very institution before on the Prison trip orga-
nized by the Hugh Wooding Law School last year.
The distaste was compounded by the fact
that my Kindle, no more than an electronic book, was
confiscated for reasons I can only conclude are arbi-
trary. I nonetheless resolved to enjoy the experience
as wholesomely as I could, without my appreciation of
the event being tainted by the vestiges of ill feelings I
had acquired on entering the prison.
I was assisted
in this regard by the fact
that we were escorted
to the area where the
competition was being
hosted and immediately
was overwhelmed by the
collective hue of excite-
ment and anticipation
emanating like a vapour
from the mass of prison-
ers. These hardened
men, with hardened per-
sonalities, in blue short
pants suits under white
tents, sweltering in the
sun, grinning, talking,
picking their faces and
staring at us; their pin-
point, untrusting eyes
making me feel like a spectacle. Their zealousness in
camaraderie and the way their smiles burst easily
from their hardened masks spoke of their eagerness
to exhale. I was transported back to the days of being
a primary school boy when we were awaiting the
arrival of some entertainment personage. The atmos-
phere had that same texture.
The disparity in the inmates racial repre-
sentation viewing the competition was apparent. I
approximated that an overwhelming 85% of the in-
mates were of African descent, 10% of East Indian
descent and the other 5% were a mixture of Spanish
and White descent; this in a context where persons
of African descent constitute approximately 45% of
the population of Trinidad and Tobago. I thought then
that some serious social work needed to be done to
address the fact that persons of African descent dis-
proportionately commit crimes; to address what I
understand to be the cultural factors which manifest
ultimately in the prisons demography. Later that day,
Madame Holdip told me of the Calypso Who in de
Zoo by calypsonian Contender. When asked by the
media about the fact that during the state of emer-
gency, predominantly black persons were being
rounded up and carted to prison, Commissioner of
Police Dwayne Gibbs commented that he didnt
know who was in the zoo. Contender tells the Com-
missioner in his calypso, that its only African lions in
the zoo, I might see a Bengal tiger or two, I never
see a polar bear mind you, only African lions in the
zoo. The calypso struck a chord with my earlier
realization for obvious reasons.
The competition began and despite the
gratingly bad quality of the sound system and the
obvious lack of a musical ear or voice training for the
vast majority of the inmates, I was simply awed by
the creativity of the performers. The constraints
allow me to talk only of some of the more memora-
ble performances and songs.
The first performance Not
in the Mood was one of
these.
Performed by the
duet Typical Trini the song
is a creative piece about the
fact that while it was the
carnival season, and the
other prison inmates were
overcome with a carnival
sentiment, they were not in
the mood owing to the
deprivations of prison life.
They sang about the fetes
they were missing, the infi-
delity anxieties they had to
endure as part of prison life
and that they drank only
mauby, with a bitter taste,
cyan get beer, is water by the case. The enthusiastic
crowd response showed that the sentiments were
appreciated by the other inmates.
Where is the love by Glenroy Francis,
sobriquet De Lasky was a lyrical social commentary
on the lack of prosecution for financial crimes. He
opens by saying that the maximum sentence for
white collar crime in Trinidad and Tobago is 2 years;
I cant say whether this is true. He then sings of in-
stances of white collar corruption that goes into a
chorus saying Calder Hart say he sorry, but he living
it up in Miami. Well what John Public wants to know,
is what he sorry for? Duprey say he sorry, Clico look
unhappy. Well what John Public wants to know, is
what they sorry for?

(Continued on page 19)
...overwhelmed by the
collective hue of excite-
ment and anticipation
emanating like a vapour
from the mass of pris-
oners.

- Richie Maitland


fertility
of
creativity
in
adverse
circum-
stances


- Richie
Maitland
P A G E 1 9 V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3
T H E G A V E L
SOCA UNDER LOCKDOWN (Contd)

(Continued from page 18)

Bangladesh Baron, a very skinny Indian man with an over-
sized full maroon suit, was very memorable in his performance be-
cause of his lyrical prowess, but more so because as his name sug-
gests, he sounds like an exact replica of the famed calypsonian
Baron; that saccharine tone that cuts you like a nylon string on a
bamboo kite.
The two most memorable performances though were by
John Kallicharan and Dion Briggs; Kallicharan, sobriquet Phone Card,
performed Open Remorse, a plea in mitigation addressed to the
parole committee. His voice had a grating texture, as if there was
gravel in his throat, which for all its roughness had a nice quality to it.
You felt the sincerity in his very well crafted song; so much so that
persons, including the judge sitting in front of me, were moved to
serious tears. The performance left no doubt that he is indeed re-
morseful for his crime.
Equally as memorable, though in a very different mood was
the performance of Dion Briggs, sobriquet Bumper who performed
Carnival Madness, a song about his wining prowess and his ability to
attract foreign and other women with it. His song was indeed com-
plemented by a demonstration of his ability to the great amusement
of the majority of onlookers including myself, and the slight chagrin of
BY MELISSA PAPOONSINGH

AYE MAN, WHEN I dress,
It must to be impress!
Doesnt matter if its red, pink, green
or blue
Fashion was made for me and you

Buh what happens when you enter
de court
You should ask is my skirt too short
Dis tie, is it too bold and bright
Is my shirt dazzling in d light

My fellow colleagues I must say
Dat there are unwritten rules we
must obey
For as an Attorney who is quite
junior
Black or very dark clothing should
be your colour
However outside d court, these
rules should not extend to thee
As red and pink may match your
personality
Orange and yellow, may just make
you happy
And as such colours does not reflect
if yuh is a good Attorney.

Sometimes you may want to wear d
national colour
Red in Trinidad, or green in Jamaica
To support yuh cricket team, on 20
20 day
For outside the profession, colour
should be your personal choice all
the way..
Colour is our Caribbean flavor.
PINK & RED ..EH?
others. His performance won him awards for Road March, Most Hu-
morous and Peoples Choice Calypso.
The competition was won ultimately by Vernon Trotman
with his song True Rehabilitation which called on government to
place more emphasis on rehabilitating convicts for reintegration. It is
easy to see why he won with his combination of lyrics and stage pres-
ence.
Also worthy of mention, was Master of Ceremony Limping
Larry, so called because of his limp. An ex-inmate of ten years, now
employed at Petrotrin, he had the crowd literally rolling in laughter
with his impromptu wit and anecdotes. I for one got an abdominal
workout.
All in all, this day was one of the best Ive had in my exist-
ence. Between the actual performances and the conversations with
Madame Holdip as to the cultural/historical importance of Carnival
and Calypso music, and whether it was easier to overcome classism
and the social glass ceilings in Grenada than Trinidad and Tobago, my
spirit was rejuvenated. I had the benefit of seeing the fertility of crea-
tivity in adverse circumstances and some quite outrageous but hilari-
ous theatrical elements the prisoners used to complement their per-
formances.
Madame Holdip, thank you for a day very well spent. It truly
was one of my best ever.
see each other's perspectives and yes, it pro-
vides me with a rich appreciation of ADR vis-a-
vis trial.

TG: What is the general perspective
among Judges in respect of ADR?
Pemberton J: I think that most Judges in the
jurisdictions that I have served to date and with
whom I interact are united in their appreciation
of ADR as opposed to settlement by trial. I
must say that most Judges are well trained and
equipped to deal with these issues. Pre-Action
protocols are within the province of the Attor-
ney-at-law. They only come into focus before
the judge when dealing with the issue of costs.

TG: Can a Judge choose to disregard
the issue of settlement and proceed
directly to litigation in furthering the
overriding objective of the CPR, not
just to deal with cases efficiently and
speedily but also justly?
Pemberton J: Once a matter reaches the
court, the Judge makes a judgment call as to
the most appropriate form of dispute settle-
ment to be employed. If there is any issue of a
BY MUDASSAR KARAMATH

(The Hon. Madam Justice Pemberton is a
Judge of the High Court of Justice of the Re-
public of Trinidad and Tobago. Justice Pem-
berton kindly consented to answer a few ques-
tions for The Gavel on civil reform.)

The Gavel: Do you think any of the
provisions of the Civil Procedure
Rules 2008 of Trinidad and Tobago
(as amended) (CPR) should be gen-
der specific?
Pemberton J: The CPR comprises a body of
subsidiary legislation. The primary legislation is
the SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE
ACT of the various territories. The lead must
come from that legislation. I do not think that
gender specific issues can be addressed in
statutes of general application of that nature.

TG: Do you think a strict or liberal
approach should be adopted with
regard to the CPR?
Pemberton J: One of the planks of the
underlying philosophy of the CPR is flexibility,
but flexibility within a context of general ob-
servance of the strictures of impartiality, com-
petence, effectiveness and efficiency. The liber-
al approach that you speak of I take to mean
the liberal approach to the interpretation of
the Rules. As you are aware, the words used
in any statute, rule, order or for that matter,
any piece of writing must first be given their
ordinary and literal meaning. That is the ap-
proach to interpretation of the CPR. Compli-
ance is another issue. Compliance is mandat-
ed, but the Rules allow the courts to modify
time limits on a case by case basis if good
reasons are given for the requested departure.

TG: How has your exposure to ADR,
especially mediation, altered your
approach as a High Court Judge in
adjudicating matters?
Pemberton J: My training in Mediation allows
me to examine matters from a number of
perspectives, not only my own. It helps me in
my role as a Case Manager and Early Neutral
Evaluator. It allows me to encourage parties to
power imbalance and the trial is the most ap-
propriate form of dispute settlement, then so
be it. Trial it is. Remember not every matter
can benefit from forms of settlement that do
not involve a trial.
TG: Would you agree that a fully
computerized civil litigation system
would only assist in furthering the
objectives of the CPR?
Pemberton J: The use of technology is pro-
vided for in the CPR. In Trinidad and Tobago
and in the Eastern Caribbean where I served,
the use of technology was appreciated and
encouraged by the court system. All of the
courtrooms in Trinidad and Tobago and the
newer courtrooms in the EC are outfitted with
computer friendly seating. I cannot see a Judge
objecting to the use of a computer in the court-
room either in Trinidad and Tobago or in the
Eastern Caribbean or for that matter anywhere
in the Caribbean. The Chief Justices, at least
since 1998, have all recognized the value
of technological advances and I do not see a
return to the pre-techno days.

THE GAVEL
THE GAVEL

A P U B L I C A T I O N O F
T H E H U G H W O O D I N G L A W S C H O O L
V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 3 M A R C H 2 0 1 2
The Face of Civil Reform

The
Hon. Mad-
am Justice
Pemberton,
Judge of
High Court
of Justice
(left)