Not surprisingly, Nicole Foster-Pusey is leaving the AG's Department. RJR reported the news today (June 17, 2008). She joins more than half a dozen lawyers who have resigned from the AG's Chambers since Dorothy Lightbourne's arrival as AG in September 2007. In any self-respecting country, this spate of resignations would be a scandal. But clearly not in Jamaica, where there has been little or no outrage at a government intent on eviscerating the AG's Chambers for no motive other than petty personality/partisan politics.
I do hope that some of the lawyers will publicly disclose their reasons for leaving. In the RJR report, Nicole Foster-Pusey declined to comment on the reasons for her departure or the departure of any of her colleagues. This might be 'politically correct' while she is still in the Chambers. However, I do think the public interest demands that the departing lawyers disclose exactly what is going on in the AG's Chambers, and not simply run away.
There had been some idle chatter some months ago about an inquiry by the Office of the PM/Cabinet Office into the operations of the AG's Department. Not surprisingly, there have been no further developments on this. To be candid, I can't see the point of having an inquiry, given the obvious cause of the turmoil at the AG's Department. I can't see how the new Solicitor General, Douglas Leys can operate with any measure of efficiency, given the exodus of so many lawyers, particularly those at the middle and senior levels.
I was speaking today with one of my Jamaican lawyer friends who now resides in Europe. He related to me how a very senior lawyer in Jamaica was bemoaning the state of affairs at the AG's Department. I reminded him that this lawyer was one of the many in Jamaica who failed to speak out when Stephen Vasciannie was strong-armed out of the SG post. I now recall that I had personally emailed this particularly senior lawyer to raise her voice in protest. I never had so much as an acknowledgement.
Despite the chaos at the AG's Department, the Jamaican Bar Association and the Advocates Association of Jamaica remain mute. I suppose this should hardly be surprising, given their track record so far. I continue to be concerned about the complete lack of engagement by the Jamaica Civil Service Asssociation. Except for a few peeps out of Wayne Jones in the initial stages of the Vasciannie imbroglio, the JCSA has been conspicuously silent. It's times like this that I wonder, why should I care, if others don't?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Nicole Foster-Pusey resigns from A-G's Department
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2 comments:
In my few years of practicing law i have discovered that lawyers are a spineless bunch.
We will mumble and grumble but will hardly ever be willing to actually stand up and let our voices be heard on the record.
It's quite shameful to be honest.
I suspect that the attorneys who have resigned are afraid of what will happen to their careers if they do speak out publicly.
As I said, lawyers are spineless creatures.
Many thanks for your comment, Ann. You are spot on. I guess we are in the age of narcissism where everybody is simply about their narrow self interests at the expense of the wider public interest.
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