Kamla pays tribute to former Chief Justice Clinton Bernard

I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of former Chief Justice Clinton Angelo Bernard, who served this country with honour as Chief Justice from 1985 to 1995.

The late Justice Bernard will be remembered for his passion and dedication to improving the judicial system. Over the decade of his service as Chief Justice, he successfully introduced many reforms, including adjustments to judges’ pensions and benefits.

He re­turned to Trinidad and To­ba­go in 1961, af­ter completing his studies in the Unit­ed King­dom, where he was called to the Bar one year prior to his return. His long and distinguished career began in the At­tor­ney Gen­er­al’s De­part­ment as a Le­gal cadet. Just six years later, he was ap­point­ed as Se­nior Coun­sel, appointed Deputy So­lic­i­tor Gen­er­al and held act­ing ap­point­ments as So­lic­i­tor Gen­er­al and Di­rec­tor of Pub­lic Pros­e­cu­tions. He was ap­point­ed as Pui­sine Judge on No­vem­ber 1, 1977, el­e­vat­ed to the Court of ap­peal in 1982 and sworn in as Chief Jus­tice on De­cem­ber 23, 1985.

For his tremendous service to this country, Jus­tice Bernard re­ceived the Trin­i­ty Cross in 1986.

The late Justice Bernard’s au­to­bi­og­ra­phy, Be­yond The Bridge: The Le­gal Jour­ney of Clin­ton An­ge­lo Bernard was presented to the public just one year ago, and in it we learn of this extraordinary man’s determination to succeed and excel in his career, and his love for the community in which he was born and raised.

Trinidad and Tobago has lost one of its greatest legal minds. We celebrate his remarkable legacy even as we mourn his passing.

On behalf of the Opposition and on my own behalf, we pray to God that He may grant eternal peace to the departed soul and give strength to the members of the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.