Former CJ sees merit in hiring foreign silk

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago, Guardian - Former Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) president Michael de la Bastide does not believe there’s any fixation in T&T with retaining British QCs. Rather, it’s a provision in local law that enables a lawyer from a Commonwealth country to practise here that makes people bring them, said de la Bastide, also a former Chief Justice. Dismissing the cost, which he said he could not give, he said the law makes provision for a minister, after consultation with the Chief Justice, to make an order for lawyers from England to be retained for a case. “I have no knowledge of the cost, but I imagine it would be quite a lot. But once the facility is there, the State, individuals and companies are going to take advantage of it. “If you are going abroad for your representation, you will want to get the best,” de la Bastide added. He noted this trend did tend to indicate a certain diffidence about relying on regional lawyers, which is something to be regretted. “But people, if they can afford it, have the option of bringing leading counsel from England.” De la Bastide said there is a common trend of considering local barristers inferior to foreign ones but that was not always the case. Noting he was not impugning the quality of local lawyers, de la Bastide said most of the QCs coming to T&T are extremely skilful advocates.