$150 Million Payout To Attorneys - Double Blow For Tivoli Gardens Residents

It was not enough that many of the Tivoli Gardens' residents were grossly abused and 73 persons were massacred in 2011 as security forces stopped at nothing to capture Christopher Coke alias Dudus. But media reports uncovered that tax payers lined the pockets of the three leading attorneys on the commission and also those who participated in the Tivoli Gardens Hearing. Out of $150 million, a grand sum of approximately $130 million was paid to the three leading commissioners, David Simmons, Velma Hylton, and Hazel Harris. The remaining millions were paid out to a couple of attorneys at the Frater, Innis, Gordon law firm, along with individual attorneys - Deborah Martin and Valerie Neita-Robinson. What is absurd is these attorneys represented the security forces and vehemently accused all the residents that testified at the commission as liars. The attorneys also used their superior attitude to intimidate and insult the intelligence of these residents from poor backgrounds. These attorneys made all efforts to discredit the residents so as to prevent them from receiving any compensation. Well, as of now their intentions have come to pass since none of those who went through traumatic experiences and lost loved ones at the hand of the security forces has received any significant compensation. Yet, of course, the attorneys have not been denied of their millions. Denis Brooks and Cliff Hughes on Nationwide Network radio justify that if it wasn't for the attorneys no one would know that the Tivoli Gardens residents deserve compensation. What bullshit!! The fact that the heads of some relatives were blown off by the security forces and the other gruesome bodies were displayed on the internet prove that a massacre must have occurred. What a shameful happening that certainly proves that poverty is a curse!

Remnants of British Colonialism After Country's Independence

Anyone looking at the above picture who do not know what the Queen's Counsel (QC) is all about may initially think that the blond head wear shown in the photo appears strange or funny or ridiculous or some other unflattering thoughts may come to mind. Even those who may be familiar with what the Queen's Counsel is all about have made unkind comments on news media blogs about the head wear that symbolizes the British colonial system. The fact is that these two individuals in the picture are well-known, successful attorneys-at-law who are associated with high-level or well-known court cases. However, in spite of the questionable nomination practices for Queen's Counsel socially-connected applicants by their affluent, influential relatives or friends, it is high time for countries that gained their independence from England over 50 years ago to break away from the symbolic, old-fashioned British colonial practices that do not relate to the modern customs of the country.  It is time for these "independent" nations to develop their own national practices that recognizes high-level barristers instead of hanging on to another country's traditions. Hong Kong, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, and Zambia have all made efforts to reform this Queen's Counsel legal practice to a system that is more in line with their national traditions. Reform, however, will quite likely not come any time soon to nations such as Jamaica since many in the legal community, especially those already designated as QCs, will not want to give up the high-profile status or elite mentality or high remuneration that is associated with this acronym that is placed behind their names.