United Progressive Party leader Harold Lovell responded to the Bar Council at a public meeting last night.
The bar council was disappointed with Lovell over his criticism of the Director of Public Prosecution. This is how Lovell responded.
Here is what the Bar Council said.
The Antigua and Barbuda Bar Council has taken note of an article in the Daily Observer of Saturday December 11, 2021 headed “Lovell accuses DPP of being politically biased – and pledges to ‘fight him as a politician’.
The article stated that the Political Leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Mr. Harold Lovell, who is also a senior Attorney-at-Law, has vowed to ‘fight fire with fire’, accusing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Mr. Anthony Armstrong of being politically motivated due to an appeal being filed against a High Court Judge’s decision to dismiss a corruption case against Lovell and two other Cabinet colleagues.
Mr. Lovell has confirmed to the Council that the statement attributed to him is accurate.
The Bar Council has also taken note of a YouTube video making the rounds on social media in which Mr. Lovell expressed similar sentiments, that is, in his opinion the DPP is doing the bidding of the political directorate.
Section 88(5) of the Constitution of Antigua and Barbuda provides that, subject to section 89 of the Constitution, in the exercise of the functions vested in him, the Director of Public Prosecutions shall not be subject to any other person or authority.
Section 89 provides that the Attorney-General may give general or special directions to the DPP with respect to offences against any law only in relation to official secrets, mutiny or incitement to mutiny, or any offence under any law relating to any right or obligation of Antigua and Barbuda under international law.
These exceptions do not apply in the current matter.
The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2004, No. 14 of 2004, provides that the Director of Public Prosecutions may appeal to the Court of Appeal from a Judgment of the High Court. In the case of an acquittal, as in the instant case, the DPP may only appeal on a point of law.
The Bar Council is extremely disappointed in the statements made by Mr. Lovell. As an Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Lovell is obligated to maintain the integrity and independence of the judicial system.
Without producing evidence, but only stating his opinion, the accusations made by Mr. Lovell against the DPP only serve to undermine the public’s confidence in the legal system.
This is unacceptable, particularly from an Attorney-at-Law. The law presumes that, unless the contrary is proved, public officers act honourable and faithful to their duties. While Mr. Lovell may be the leader of a political party, we remind him that he is also an Attorney-at-Law and that he is obligated to maintain and support the administration of justice and the rule of law.
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Wrong and strong. The people vote against them two elections in a row (some would even argue include 2009) , yet hey continue to lie to themselves.
@ Hmmm wrong and strong is Gaston’s strongest and best trait .
It is like air he couldn’t live a min without it.
Say what you mean and mean what you say. Stick to the truth. With truth come power!
Ok King Lyadd Lovell Limpy Joe we hear you loud and clear regarding the STRIPPER POLE BUS.
@Smh:You come onto this portal every minute of every day with the same empty cattle chit.Come with something substantive for once in your life. Are you that empty?
And u read um ebry time. Get ah life or wife nah
If you only had a brain.
After the utterances in this clip, Harold Lovell needs to be taken before the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council and asked to provide evidence of his accusations against the DPP. Failure to provide such evidence should lead to him being disbarred.
What he said about the DPP are very, very serious accusations and brings the legal profession into disrepute. His insistence that he stands by his statement demands that evidence is produced to substantiate the same. If the statement cannot be substantiated, it means Lovell is lying on the DPP and needs to be removed from the roll of lawyers permitted to function in this country.
Well the jellyfish is letting the Bar Association and the people of Antigua and Barbuda know that he can “TALK AS ME LIKE”
No suprise here. When Brother B made certain publicly threatening statements against a judge’s decision, neither the party nor Lovell spoke out against his utterances. “If de judge min in Jamaica, she couldn’t walk out de courtroom…”
In Antigua and Barbuda,only Gaston Browne and his minions are supposed to criticize the DPP. What Bar does the Bar Association visits? Perhaps they had too many visits and drank too much LOUIS XIII Cognac.A bottle of that Remy Martin Cognac cost as much as $135,000 .This is something most of you in Antigua would never touch.So you poor arse people trying to defend that uppity Organization is just wasting your precious poor times.
Please stop your nonsense. Gaston Browne is not a member of the legal fraternity. Harold Lovell is a member of the legal fraternity, and a full member of the Bar Council. He is therefore governed by the rules of that profession. He ought not bring the profession into disrepute. It is WRONG!
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