Minister and legal firm ‘with passion’ agree to work together

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey and the attorneys-at-law from CBL Chambers have mended the fence and are agreeing to collaborate on the drafting of policies and legislation on the elderly.

During a consultation on the National Policy on Ageing for Barbados 2023-2028 at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre (LESC), Two Mile Hill, on Friday, Minister Humphrey said the parties met on Tuesday morning and engaged in a discussion which ended favourably.

Humphrey invited attorneys Corey Beckles, Kaviar Callender and Executive Legal Assistant Anthony Hinds, to attend the stakeholders’ consultation where both parties spoke to members of the media.

“Only hooligans shout at one another you know. So there is no need for us to shout at one another, especially when we both share the same goals and so I believe we are on solid footing now.

“I am actually very impressed to find attorneys who have a passion for this kind of work. I would be an unwise person to not work with persons who have the same goal as I have,” Humphrey said.

Over the past week, the minister and attorneys at CBL Chambers were involved in a public exchange over the law firm’s drafting of legislation dealing with the protection of senior citizens.

After CBL Chambers presented the draft Elderly Protection Bill to the media last Thursday at the firm’s Strathclyde, St Michael office, Minister Humphrey made it clear that the Government had nothing to do with the document which he said he had not seen up to that time.

Subsequently, CBL Chambers asked Minister Humphrey to apologise for his comments, while stating that they had made numerous attempts to meet with him to discuss the draft policy.

However, standing among the members of the law firm, Humphrey said that even though the Government’s drafted policy is a comprehensive document, he does not intend to be a minister who excludes persons who have an interest in doing work on behalf of the elderly, or any other vulnerable group.

Humphrey also indicated that he sent the legal team a copy of the 2023-2028 policy and said he welcomed their involvement in the project.

“The public has our assurance that as far as possible, we will be working together on the final bill and working together to make the policy even more comprehensive than the policy is at present,” Humphrey said.

Meanwhile, Beckles agreed that the meeting with the minister was fruitful and that both parties were willing to work together.

“I can say categorically that we are in harmony with each other at this time,” Beckles confirmed.

The attorney also gave the assurance that his team read the Government’s policy and agreed that it is a comprehensive document which covers several different aspects of the protection of the elderly.

“Legislation is only one aspect of it, but I believe that with the help of the ministry and more collaboration with the stakeholders, we will be able to make or produce a bill that not only is comprehensive, but a bill that the Barbadian public will be able to appreciate, be able to understand and be able to support as we move forward with the goals of the ministry [in its] a five-year-plan. I am also impressed with the strategic plan that they have,” Beckles said.

anestahenry@barbadostoday.bb