Lawyers advised to put others before self

Lawyers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines were reminded this week that their first professional duty is service to other.{{more}}

Priest at St. Matthew’s Parish Church, Father Clive Thomas, delivering the sermon at a service at the Cathedral of the Assumption in Kingstown to mark the start of the new law term, admonished lawyers to be always mindful of their responsibilities to their clients and profession.

“Every vocation must be seen as a human response for the greater plan of God, and in order to maintain an effective and efficient judicial system every officer of the court has to become an important part in the process,” he stated.

Thomas added that if the theme of the service, “Maintaining an effective and efficient judicial system” is to be fulfilled, then the people involved should not be a part of the profession for what they can gain from it but what they can do for others.

Despite the inclement weather, law practitioners turned out in their numbers to the service on Tuesday September 15, which many described as the biggest in recent years.

Thomas said he was cognisant of the fact that the legal fraternity is of great importance to any country and no one should underestimate its importance or role in the development of a country.

But, he warned, when members do not keep their eyes on the matters of importance and are only concerned about the fulfillment of their own needs and comfort, the system is negatively affected and the entire country suffers.

“It is not all about accumulating the most clients or the biggest bank accounts. It is about being representatives for God,” he noted.

Highlighting the complaint that lawyers were too often “not there” for their clients, the priest charged that this sometimes caused people to refer to lawyers as “crooks”.

“When we receive payments from clients to represent them in court and time and time again the magistrate has to adjourn the case because they are not present… what are we doing?

“Are we participating in an effective judicial system with a love for what we do or are we concerned about the comfort of achieving what we want to be at a comfort level?” he asked.

The traditional march to the High Court yard along Grenville Street had to be cancelled because of the heavy showers after the service.

Scripture readings were done by members of the Bar association, Bertram Commissiong Q.C and Parnel Campbell Q.C. Bishop Leopold Friday did the blessing and dismissal.