Family of late judge upset with radio station’s broadcast of funeral

The family of the late Frederick Victor Bruce-Lyle have described as disrespectful, the broadcast by Nice Radio of the funeral service of the former judge without permission.

In a release issued on Wednesday, the family thanked those who had joined them at the Special Sitting of the High Court and at the funeral.{{more}}

“The family of the late Frederick Victor Bruce-Lyle, wish to thank all those friends colleagues and well wishers who joined both at the Special Sitting of the High Court and the Funeral Service with them in the celebration of the life of their departed loved one.

“It was the family’s intention to keep the funeral service a private affair and in the face of respectful requests from media houses to film and or broadcast the service, these requests were politely refused. The family is saddened that in spite of this, one media house saw it fit to broadcast the funeral service without even a thought of a request of the family for permission to do so.

“The family considers that the actions of the management of Nice Radio constitute a mark of disrespect to the family and the memory of Justice Frederick Victor Bruce-Lyle. While the family acknowledges that Justice Bruce-Lyle by virtue of his office was a public figure, a funeral is a private affair. Decency and propriety ought to respect the sanctity in which those who mourn and grieve wish to bury their dead in keeping with the wishes of their departed one.

“We are fortified in making this statement as we are certain he would have done so himself if he were able.

“May the soul of Frederick Victor Bruce-Lyle rest in eternal peace.”

Justice Bruce-Lyle, 62, died on Thursday, April 21 in Trinidad and Tobago, shortly after being airlifted there. His funeral service was held at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption in Kingstown on May 6.

The former judge had retired on February 17, 2015, after having served as a High Court judge in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) from 2000 to 2012. The Ghanaian-born jurist also acted as a Court of Appeal judge with the ECSC from February 2007 to June 2010. He was a naturalized citizen of St Vincent and the Grenadines and became the longest serving High Court judge in 2013.