BY SHARON AUSTIN | NOV 16, 2022
Acting Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams (front row, third from right) and Chief Justice of Barbados, Sir Patterson Cheltenham, (front row, centre), pose for a photograph with the new attorneys-ay-law who were admitted to the Bar on Monday. (C. Pitt/BGIS)
Acting Attorney General Wilfred Abrahams underscored the importance of honesty, integrity and a good reputation, as he addressed the 48 attorneys-at-law who were admitted to the Bar on Monday afternoon.
In the special sitting in the Court of Appeal in the Supreme Court Complex, Mr. Abrahams said: “The most precious coin that you have…is the coin that has honesty, integrity and reputation stamped on it; spend it well.
“If you spend it well, …it will come back to you in ways that you can’t possibly imagine. From the time you spend that coin…badly, you cannot get it back; it is that investment that never recovers.”
The acting Attorney General told the lawyers to always keep honesty, integrity and their reputation foremost in mind when difficult decisions and temptations came. He urged them to keep their reputation intact, and reach out if they had difficulties, as a support system was there.
Describing the 15 males and 33 females as a diverse group of attorneys, he encouraged them to be creative. “Do not let anyone stunt your creativity; you may follow precedents but I urge you to never blindly follow precedents. If you see something that is wrong, then don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for it to be corrected….
“Do not be afraid to be that person who provokes a change, have confidence in yourself, have confidence in your ability, have confidence in the system. The system requires all of us to make it work,” he suggested.
In reference to the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes, including the online classes, Mr. Abrahams said the attorneys-at-law had completed their studies in perhaps the most difficult time ever in the history of studying law in Barbados.
He told them that law was an exceedingly demanding profession, and encouraged them to take advantage of the opportunity they had been given.
During his address, he also urged the new lawyers to be fair, decent in their dealings with other attorneys, treat people properly, and don’t spend their clients’ money.
