Senior Reporter
derek.achong@guardian.co.tt
As tributes continue to pour in for former chief justice Michael de la Bastide, one veteran lawyer has called for Abercromby Street in Port-of-Spain to be renamed in his honour.
Senior Counsel Israel Khan, who is president of the Criminal Bar Association, made the call to rename the major colonial-age street, now named after controversial British military commander Sir Ralph Abercromby, after de la Bastide, who served as chief justice between 1995 and 2002 and as the first president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
Khan said, “Metaphorically speaking, he was ‘The Last of the Mohicans’. In his honour, amongst other things, Abercromby Street should be renamed ‘Michael de la Bastide Street’.”
If the suggestion is eventually accepted, it would not be unprecedented. In 2017, Queen Street, which intersects Abercromby Street in downtown Port-of-Spain, was renamed Queen Janelle Commissiong Street in honour of Janelle “Penny” Commissiong, who won this country’s first Miss Universe title in 1977.
Khan described de la Bastide, who died on Saturday morning, as the “last of the great advocates” in the history of this country.
“A brilliant lawyer and jurist whose contributions to the jurisprudence of the countries of the Commonwealth are unmatched. The West Indian Reports overflow with his erudite judgments,” Khan said.
He suggested that de la Bastide would be best remembered for his humility.
“What was striking about him was that throughout his public life, he was never condescending to anyone, especially lawyers and judges. He was truly a humble man; the entire legal profession knows him as a gentleman and a scholar,” he said.
Chief Justice Ivor Archie also gave a glowing tribute in a statement issued by the Judiciary.
“He was my mentor. He was a strong man and a great visionary who wielded power with grace, kindness, and compassion,” CJ Archie said.
“He lit the torch of judicial reform and I am honoured to walk in his footsteps,” he added.
The Judiciary described de la Bastide’s tenure as emblematic, as it noted that he was a staunch defender of judicial independence.
“He encouraged excellence and innovation, and advanced the principle that courts as a full entity, and not lawyers, must determine the course of litigation,” it said.
It pointed out that he spearheaded the Civil Proceedings Rules (CPR) in 1998, which revolutionised civil litigation and helped clear a backlog of cases at the time. He also established the Department of Court Administration and drove the development of continuing judicial education which culminated in the formation of the Judicial Education Institute of T&T (JEITT).
“He was a prolific and forward-thinking jurisprudential author and many of his incisive judgments remain as jurisprudential signposts and beacons,” it said.
Industrial Court president Heather Seale and her judges and staff also expressed condolences to de la Bastide’s family.
In a release, it noted he appeared before the court as a legal practitioner in the 1960s. It said he shared his experiences in the court as he delivered an address at the court’s 50th anniversary celebrations in 2014.
It noted that his judgment in an appeal dealing with the legal definition of a “worker” from 2000 has often guided decisions made by its judges.
“A bright mind and highly esteemed figure in the legal community, Justice de la Bastide contributed significantly to the industrial relations jurisprudence of T&T,” it said.
The Equal Opportunity Tribunal (EOT) also sent condolences to de la Bastide’s family.
“Justice de la Bastide’s illustrious service on the bench and contribution to the jurisprudence of the Caribbean region have played a pivotal role in shaping the development of the region’s legal framework,” it said.
“His visionary leadership laid the foundation for a more integrated judicial system, fostering greater regional co-operation and solidarity.
Funeral arrangements for de la Bastide are yet to be announced.