One of the side activities of the just-ended 11th Regional Conference of the OECS Bar Association in Anguilla was a joint symposium held by the Judicial Education Institute (JEI) and the OECS Bar Association. The meeting place, where all the other events took pace, was at CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa.

The JEI is the training arm of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and functions within the office of the Chief Justice. “This symposium is part of Dame Janice’s and the JEI’s unswerving commitment to the provision of continued education to the OECS Bar and its constituent Bars,” Justice Louise Blenman, Chairman of the JEI stated.

Those at the symposium included the Chief Justice, Dame Janice Pereira; Mr Ruggles Ferguson, President of the OECS Bar; Court of Appeal Judges; Registrar of the High Court in Anguilla, Ms Vernetta Richardson, members of the OECS Bar, Ms Yvette Wallace, President of the Anguilla Bar Association and other members.

The chairperson of the symposium was Justice of Appeal, Louise Blenman. She welcomed all the participants on behalf of the Chief Justice, the JEI and on her own behalf, “to the lovely island of Anguilla.”

Justice Blenman noted that the symposium, on Saturday, September 13, was convened on a date which coincided with the 25th Anniversary of the OECS Bar which she described as being “very independent, effective and efficient.” She congratulated the Bar on “its achievement and encouraged it to grow from strength to strength in ensuring that the rule of law and the administration of justice are maintained and fortified.”

She indicated that the JEI and the OECS Bar Association shared a very close and invaluable relationship. She encouraged the President of the Bar, Mr Ferguson, to continue to build and empower the members so that they would be well-placed to make an outstanding contribution to the jurisdiction of the sub-region.

Justice Blenman was pleased that the symposium had attracted the participation of the eminent jurist, Justice of Appeal, Cecil Dennis Morrison, and the distinguished Mrs Karen Nunez-Tesheira, both of whom comprised the faculty of the JEI and altogether have in excess of sixty years’ experience as law lecturers at the tertiary level.

Mrs Nunez-Teshaira spoke on ‘Til the sooner of death and divorce do us part: the use of marriage agreements, trusts and other structures in the protection of wealth upon the termination of marriage.

Justice Morrison addressed the topic: New wines in old wine skins – recent developments in the Law of Evidence.

Justice Blenman congratulated Ms Jen Dyer, Regional Law Conference Coordinator, for her excellent and professional leadership which she provided to the conference.

Both topics attracted interaction between the presenters and the symposium participants.