St. Mary’s Parish Church
Anguilla, part of the jurisdiction of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, joined the rest of the sub-region in the ceremonial opening of Law Year 2013/2014 on Tuesday, September 17. The main activities were a church service at St Mary’s Anglican Church; an inspection of a Police Guard of Honour – in the precincts of the Court – by Resident Judge, Justice Cheryl Mathurin; and an address by Chief Justice Dame Janice Pereira via simulcast from the British Virgin Islands.
The homily, during the 40-minute service, was delivered by the Reverend Dr Wycherley Gumbs, the newly-appointed Superintendent of the Anguilla Methodist Circuit.He told the members of the legal profession that so often they faced persons appearing before them, in the region, showing a “hunger for wealth and power” and “how humans can be distorted into less than humanity.” He asked them to examine where they were in the scale of justice, peace and equity.
“As you face the awesome challenges of your office…don’t forget you are a pursuer after knowledge,” he added. “Let that pursuit to wisdom, which is the highest pursuit of all, become that eternal lover of wisdom. As you seek it, it flowers into justice and peace and I guarantee you Anguilla and the Caribbean will be a better place.”
Other members of the Clergy who participated in the service were Bishop Errol Brooks, Archdeacon Valentine Hodge (visiting from St Kitts) and Reverend Menes Hodge. The Scripture Lessons were read by Ms Vernette Richardson, Registrar of the Anguilla High Court, and Mr James Wood QC, AttorneyGeneral.
Following the service, the Lawyers and officials of the Judiciary journeyed to the High Court for the inspection of the Guard of Honour and an address by the Chief Justice, Janice Pereira. That simulcast address, to the entire jurisdiction, was entitled: “The Role of the Court in the Region’s Socio-Economic Development.”
Chief Justice Pereira stated that since the establishment of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 1967, its growth had been synonymous with the region’s development. She observed that social and economic conditions were ever-changing – and that technological advances demanded that institutions, such as the Court, were responsive to those advances by putting in place mechanisms to ensure and improve efficiency and effectiveness.
The programme for the opening of theCourt, which began with Justice Mathurin sitting on the Bench, included welcome remarks by her and addresses by a number of lawyers, the majority of which were delivered, in full, following the intervening address by the Chief Justice.
The speakers listed on the programme were Mr James Wood, Attorney General; Ms Yvette Wallace, President of the Anguilla Bar Association; Mrs Josephine Gumbs Connor, Vice President of the Bar; Mrs Joyce Kentish Egan; Ms Palmavon Webster; Ms Ivenia Benjamin, Senior Magistrate; and members of the Utter Bar.
