Senior Reporter
akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt
Aside from his contributions to this country’s Judiciary and the Constitution, High Court Judge Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo saw it fit to acknowledge who Michael de la Bastide was as a human being.
Waterman-Latchoo worked closely with de la Bastide and collaborated with him on his autobiography titled “Within the Law, Memoirs of a Caribbean Jurist”, which was launched in 2021.
Immediately after his passing yesterday, Waterman-Latchoo said, “He was once called The Bull. But I came to think of him more as a butterfly, for his brilliantly coloured mind and the lightness of his spirit. There was nothing ponderous about him. His wit was legendary. He was funny, so funny, and he chuckled the most at his own foibles. He told the best stories, but his own life story is like a love letter for Trinidad and Tobago.”
Meanwhile, acknowledging his reputation as a legal luminary, former attorney general John Jeremie said, “It is impossible to recount a history of the practice of the law in the Caribbean without a reference to Michael de la Bastide. He was as much of a giant on the bench as he was at the bar.”
Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Stuart Young credited de la Bastide for encouraging him to become a lawyer when the then-16-year-old Young witnessed de la Bastide in the courtroom.
He added, “I saw the transformation of the Judiciary under his tenure as Chief Justice, and I had a front-row seat when he clashed with the then-attorney general and the president of the Law Association in 1999/2000.”
The United National Congress said it was also mourning the passing of the former chief justice.
Via media release, the party said, “During his illustrious career, Mr de la Bastide made an extensive and conscious contribution to justice and legislative governance in his various tenures.”
The UNC added, “As Chief Justice and first president of the Caribbean Court of Justice, he dispensed justice with deep insight, knowledge, and experience. He was earlier a voice of reason and expertise as an independent senator and as president of the Law Association.”
The Caribbean Court of Justice, which he served as president, announced that it will open a condolence book to the public tomorrow.