Lawyers claim they got death threats

If the alleged threats made on her life are serious and are successful, Vynnette Frederick should be dead this weekend.

She is one of three female lawyers who reportedly have had death threats made on their lives. {{more}}

The other two are Human Rights Association and the local Bar Association’s President Nicole Sylvester and her deputy in both organizations, Kay Bacchus-Browne.

At a hastily called press-conference at her office on Monday, Sylvester called the issuing of the threats “a sad day for democracy-a sad day for freedom of expression in St Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Sylvester said the threats, which came via phone calls were in direct response to their decision to participate in the NDP organized protest march and rally last week Wednesday.

“We saw it fit to march on human rights in our individual capacities,” said Sylvester.

Sylvester said a female voice over the telephone told her that her participation in the march was the reason why she was to be killed and emphasized that the threats were real.

“I was told that I had no right to comment on the judiciary, I should stay out of politics and I must not defend certain persons,” said Bacchus-Browne, who did not divulge any information about the sex of her caller.

At last week’s special sitting of the High Court, Bacchus-Browne did not hold back any punches as she criticized the working conditions of the Judges among other things.

Bacchus-Browne who also echoed the “sad day for democracy” sentiments,

said that she was also told that a smear campaign

about herself and Nicole Sylvester would be launched if they did not heed the warning.

Meanwhile, Vynnette Frederick, who was not at the press conference told SEARCHLIGHT that she is not fazed by the threats and will continue to speak out .

She also said that as far as she knows, everything that she has been saying recently has been only offending the Government.

“The threats not going to stop me at all, I will continue to speak out as I see it,” said Frederick.

She said that she knows what direction to look to when searching for the origin of the threats.

At press time a check with police revealed that no report of these threats had been made.