By: Gavincia Clarke
Nevispages.com
(CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS)- Young, charismatic, intelligent and hardworking are just a few words to describe the latest Nevisian to be called to the Bar of St. Christopher and Nevis in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, on Tuesday, February 24, 2014.
In a ceremony held at the Charlestown High Court, Nevis, Mr. Anselm Colin Caines who is originally from the village of Jessups took his oath in the presence of a large gathering of family, friends and well-wishers.
Caines graduated from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus with a Bachelors of Law Degree with Honours. He also graduated from the Hugh Wooding Law School where he obtained his Legal Education Certificate (LEC).
His parents, Samuel and Gloria Caines were visibly overwhelmed and excited with their son’s outstanding accomplishment. In his acceptance speech; Mr. Caines expressed his gratitude to his parents who have ensured his success with the countless sacrifices they have made. He also used the opportunity to thank his friends and colleagues who have helped and encouraged him along the way.
Below is a full copy of his speech
Address To The Court On Being Called To The Bar
May it please you, Milady…
I rise on this the 25th day of February in the year of our Lord 2014 to register my humble appreciation to this Honourable Court for considering and accepting my application to be admitted to the bar of St. Kitts and Nevis. It is said that some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this. Today, at the very young age of 24, I am most fortunate to be able to bask in my moment with those who surround me and have helped to sustain me.
Let me thank my learned seniors, Dr. Henry Browne Q.C. and Mr. Oral Martin, for not only moving the application but for also moving my life further to the profession of the law by their instruction and their guidance. I have called on them to assist me today, I have called on them to assist me before and even though I am fortunate to now call myself an attorney, I know that their vast reservoir of knowledge and wisdom will still beckon me to constantly call on them in the future.
As I stand before you this morning me lady, I am completely cloaked and covered; not just in the legal attire that adorns me but I am completely cloaked and covered with enormous pride and endless gratitude. Such pride I believe is evident; my gratitude will spring forth eternal. It is because of the immense gratitude that I have and the enormous debts which I owe why the court room is so packed this morning. Indeed, I could do nothing else but laugh when one of my colleagues in her attempt to tease me indicated that the officials at the court were making arrangements for me to be called to the bar at Grove Park because they were not persuaded that they were going to be able to accommodate my ceremony here at the High Court in Charlestown.
But the persons seated behind me this morning all represent pieces of my puzzle. And though I cannot possibly thank everyone within the limited time allotted, there a few persons whom it would be remiss of me not to mention.
Firstly, I must thank my Lord and my God. For it is only through his kind and compassionate mercies that I have been able to count my many blessings and name them one by one. To be sure me lady, over the past 5 years, my faith was tested, my resolve was tried, and my confidence was tackled. However, through it all never was the belief that I had in my God trimmed or troubled. This morning, I do not even have to stutter, utter or mutter to say that “I couldn’t make it by myself, I had to ask the Lord for help. Hallelujah, Thank You Jesus, I have made it”.
Secondly and significantly, I thank my parents. Their names are Gloria Vinetta Caines and Samuel Emanuel Caines. I am almost tempted to ask Your Ladyship to have the courtroom observe 24 seconds of silence in recognition of the 24 years that they have loved and nurtured me. But I shall peddle that point no further; not so much because I fear asking Your Ladyship to so graciously extend her kind courtesies but because it would almost be criminally negligent of me to praise them only in thought and not in word and indeed.
Me lady, my parents have given of themselves selflessly to ensure my success and satisfaction. I owe all that I have to the many sacrifices and investments that they have made; be it moral, emotional, physical and most certainly financial. They have taught me much but in particular, responsibility for my actions and not to forget those who helped me to be what I am today.
This morning me lady, I can boast and say to you that I am the result not only of their biological inputs but I am a product of their efforts, their encouragement and their example. Today, I am proud to call myself their “son”.
To my sister Anthea, you have been my twin and my shadow ever since the 20th of July 1991. For your unwavering support and the gift of your birth, I am forever grateful.
To my grandparents, you have always been my silent advisors and my vocal cheerleaders. I thank firstly Ms. Rosa Nisbett and I make special mention of my dearly departed Mrs. Yolan Freeman who always treated me as though I was her prized possession. I know more than anything else and perhaps anyone else, she wanted badly to be here this morning and I therefore dedicate all that I have achieved to her name and her memory.
To my aunts, my uncles, my god-parents and my cousins, you have all played a critical role in helping to raise me and that is why I am extremely proud to call each and every single one of you “my family”.
To my classmates and my colleague attorney’s Karene, Devon and Mickia, I certainly would not be here this morning without you. For the many times you pulled and pushed me when I felt as though I could no longer push myself, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To my teachers, and not just those at Cave Hill and the Hugh Wooding Law School but those from Charlestown Pre-School through St. John’s Primary School on to the Charlestown Secondary School, I owe you a debt of gratitude. I have not forgotten what any of you have done for me, and you can take comfort in knowing that the young attorney standing before you this morning is a reflection of your tutoring and you’re mentoring.
I am also obliged to thank my support team:– Vincia Herbert, Kyle Weeks, Donnel Sargeant, Kareem Grant, Ira Willet, Janet Paris and the list continues. I have been able to call on all of you without fail and that you have never said no is taken as implicit authorization that I can continue to call on you in the future.
To Mr. Ron Daniel, on many an occasion, you have scolded me and you have castigated me. But so to have you adopted me and molded me. The only thing which I cannot say that my parents ever provided was a biological brother. But what I can say today is that you have done an awesome job in playing that part and playing it well.
The Hon. E. Robelto Hector, you have been a constant source of guidance and a most reliable hand of friendship. Never were you too busy to answer my many calls; never were you to preoccupy to check in on me and ensure my sanity. For your support and your friendship, I am eternally grateful.
Let me also express my heartfelt gratitude to my senior members of the Bar for taking the time out of their busy schedules to appear at this, my legal baptism this morning. I am certainly most appreciative of your presence.
Me lady, the road which I traversed to get here was not easy. Though the names mentioned are but a microcosm of the large body of persons who helped me to overcome the many challenges, such challenges I must not forget, for they serve as a reminder of why I should always value what I am now fortunate to have. To be sure, there were long and arduous hours of study, sleepless nights, the loss of loved ones and even unfortunate attempts by some to pull their fellowmen down. Truth be told, there were actually times when I felt deep within the very confines of my heart that some would only wish me to make it to the court house for other nefarious purposes.
BUT me lady, just as I thank my family and my friends who sought to push me to the point of success so too do I also rise to thank those who sought to detract and distract me from my goals. Yes me lady, I want to THANK THEM! I want to thank them deeply and I want to thank them dearly. Because it is through their indirect means of motivation why I am able to stand here this morning, in such a capacity, before this Honorable Court.
If there is one thing that I can certainly say today it is that the many experiences and challenges which I encountered throughout my 5 years of University continually taught me that I ought not to mistake my process for my purpose. And I truly believe that my privilege of presence here this morning is the unveiling of God’s purpose for me to fulfill not only to this honourable court but also to my community and my country.
As I bring my response to a close, I am minded to state that I am aware that this moment marks not just the end but also a beginning, and as I begin my period of service so it is that I pledge to do my part to advance the interests of the rule of law and the administration of justice to the highest degree. It is with such a solemn vow that I would like to thank Your Ladyship once again for considering and accepting my application to be admitted to the Bar of St. Kitts and Nevis.
May it please you, Me Lady.