One of the attorneys at the Law Chambers of Watt, Dorsett and Company says he is clueless as to why members of a concerned citizens group protested outside the Newgate Street office last week, demanding justice in ongoing legal matters, knowing fully well how the legal system works.
Sir Gerald Watt QC, was making reference to the concerned citizens group that is advocating on behalf of D. Gisele Isaac, former executive secretary of the Board of Education (BoE), who has five outstanding matters – criminal and civil – before the courts.
“Miss Isaac seems to think that when she brings a case, she goes to the head of the cue,” Sir Gerald stated during an interview on Saturday during a local radio programme.
He stated that ”Isaac is being represented by Justin Simon QC. She has eminent counsel representing her from the very first time she wrote a letter to the BoE, and I don’t hear her counsel screaming and carrying on or suggesting that we are keeping back his case.”
Isaac, who was suspended from her job and subsequently locked out of her office at the BoE filed a wrongful dismissal suit against the government.
The government, represented by the law office of Watt and Dorsett, later filed several motions against Isaac and her legal team on procedural matters that were struck down by the High Court, Appellate Court and lately the Privy Council in May.
Her team is now calling on the government’s legal counsel – Watt, Dorsett and Company – to act on the recent Privy Council judgement handed down on May 14, 2018, in which the Council paved the way for Isaac to bring action against Micheal Browne, the education minister, who sanctioned her suspension in 2014 and Steadroy Benjamin in his capacity as attorney general, lead advisor to the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda.
The group has argued that the government and its legal counsel have refused to take action to honour the judgement, file the necessary affidavits in response to Isaac’s claim or pay her attorney as instructed by the Privy Council.
Isaac also wants, the government, “in the interest of justice, basic civil and human rights”, to take action on pending cases or file for them to be dismissed.
Meanwhile, Sir Gerald who spoke on the matter for the first time since the renewed campaign was launched, maintained that the matter is out of the hands of the lawyers at his chambers.
According to Watt, on one occasion, Dr. David Dorsett, the lead attorney on the case, travelled to Dominica for an appeal hearing in one of the matters currently before the High Court.
As it relates to the case that is before the Industrial Court, Sir Gerald said his team was of the view that Isaac sued the wrong person, in that her employer is the Cabinet and not the BoE.
“Dr. Dorsett went down into that court and he made the submission that this is the wrong person and he lead evidence to prove his point. The Industrial Court reserved the decision on just that one point for three years,” Sir Gerald said.
According to the senior counsel, the former executive secretary of the Board has a right to be upset about this particular point, he, however, pointed out that, “This has nothing to do with Watt, Dorsett and Company.”
“Nobody is fighting the litigant. Litigation is lengthy and it is costly, if you go there, you have to work with the system which is for everybody. Having said that, why is she marching in front of our chambers?” Sir Gerald questioned.
He argued that Isaac is using social media to try the cases and warned that this could potentially do more harm than good.
Sir Gerald surprised by protest actions
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