IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE even handed. There has been much wailing and gnashing of teeth since the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) bemoaned for yet another time the length of the arm of justice right here in ‘many-lawyered’ Barbados.
How this has come about is a long story that cannot be laid at the feet of Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson or Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite, but which neither of them has succeeded in solving.
Just the other day I had the proud experience of witnessing the calling to the Bar of my granddaughter. It was a proud moment for the Wild Coot as he regards things dealing with the law as intriguing and of a different world of logic. Roy Morris’ article the other day did not give me solace. Actually, it left me with further depression.
Imagine this is almost four months since a gentleman, and a knight at that, rammed the back of the car of someone who is close to me, reversed and drove home nonchalantly without looking back. Fortunately, a motorist saw what happened, followed him to his house and reported the matter to the police. It is believed that the police visited the home of the gentleman, but so far I have not heard of any effort to bring him to justice. Furthermore, the gentleman, up to a while ago, has not reported the accident to his insurance company.
Can it be that the incident is not followed up because of the standing of the gentleman in our society? Can it be that the police are reluctant to act? What is the person whose car damage has been assessed by Simpson Motors to be in the region of $4 000, to do now? Is there a law for the Medes and one for the Persians here in Barbados?
When young people are confronted with this type of situation, we have seen the action that they take, as they are not normally gifted with the patience of the Wild Coot. Will the knight, whoever he is, please set a good example to the young people?
Next thing, a youngster pleading his honesty, bought a car from me, paid down some of the money and signed two evidences of debt. On the due date payment has not been forthcoming. Indeed, the youngster has moved from the address given on the debt notes. Are we becoming more and more dishonest? And is the delay in getting justice fanning the flames of this dishonesty? What kind of society are we cultivating? Fortunately, the Wild Coot has passed the age of threescore and ten (the allotted time) and may not live to see further deterioration.
Unfortunately my granddaughter will most likely live to face the music that is increasing in crescendo. She will have to face the backlog of cases that now pervades the courts of Barbados with whatever courage she can muster and whatever patience the Almighty has imbued in her.
I have so many friends, including relatives in the practice of the legal profession, for whom I hold the highest respect both for their honesty and for their integrity, but what good is that if the system is polluted with delays and backlogs?
I have tested the system and my car court case that was heard for five minutes, was deferred until March 23, 2016. Meanwhile, the cretin that has the car is free to drive it unpunished for the next six months. That is not justice. Was the Wild Coot right to have operated within the law these past years, or would he have been better off like some people being a “samfie” man?
This thing with Banks Holdings shares should have been disclosed long ago. The Wild Coot said in his column of October 5: “It seems that Banks Holdings Barbados Ltd., owners of Pine Hill Dairy, Barbados Bottlers, essentially Barbadian supported industries, has been caught napping. Or have they? Surely if it entertained help in constructing its extensions, it must have anticipated that the piper somewhere in the future would call the tune. The full-page advertisement on Friday, October 2 seems a tad too late and calls for an explanation. To whom is the appeal directed and why?”
If the Wild Coot was aware, and so was Señor Hoyos, how come the directors are now speaking out? Don’t ANSA McAL read my column? They should. They might learn something. I feel sorry for the shareholders who had a full-page advertisement on Page 36 of the WEEKEND NATION last Friday.
• Harry Russell is a banker. Email quijote70@gmail.com