Avril Trotman

Grenada will soon have a new Solicitor General since the holder of the office for the past two years; Guyanese Avril Trotman-Joseph has quit the position.

Sources at the Ministry of Legal Affairs confirmed to GRENADA TODAY that her resignation took effect last week.

Trotman-Joseph is the wife of Speaker of the House of Representative Lawrence Joseph, a former executive member of the ruling New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.

A source said that the female Barrister at-Law has now gone into private practice and is attached to the law offices of Seon and Associates located on Lucas Street, St. George's.The firm is headed by former President of the Senate and Barrister at-Law, Leslie Ann Seon.

It is not clear whether Trotman-Joseph is now a partner at the Firm but she is expected to take over the workload from Seon who has been ordered to rest by her Doctors due to her pregnancy.

The source spoke of the former Solicitor General not reapplying for the position at the expiration of her contract. He disclosed that Trotman-Joseph has not been enjoying a close working relationship with a number of persons in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, as well as the controversial but influential Legal Advisor to Government, Jamaican Hugh Wildman.

"She (Trotman-Joseph) does not mix matters as far as the law is concerned. She will let them (government) know up front what their chances are if the State is involved in a matter before the Court unlike Hugh", the source pointed out.

It is alleged that Trotman-Joseph was not happy with a move that was in the making to make Wildman become the Legal Supervisor of the Ministry of Legal Affairs. The female Guyana-born lawyer is also known to have run into problems with Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Nordica Mc. Intyre.

According to the source Mc. Intyre is alleged to have written a strongly worded letter to the Public Service Commission (PSC) complaining about the number of times that Trotman-Joseph had been absent from work. "She (Mc. Intyre) informed PSC about Trotman-Joseph not being in office and is always away on personal business", he remarked.

Meanwhile, GRENADA TODAY was told that the State has not renewed the contract of Sabrina Khan, a Guyanese who is attached to the Ministry of Legal Affairs as a Crown Counsel.

Speculation is also rife that the contract of another Guyanese attorney in the ministry, Dashan Ramdhanie might not be renewed. A legal source said that Khan has also gone into private practice and is attached to the law firm of Celia Edwards-Clyne on Old Fort Road, St. George's.

According to the source, two Jamaican Attorneys have since showed up at the Ministry of Legal Affairs to fill the positions made vacant by the parting Guyanese. The two are said to be close friends of Wildman, who it is believed might have played a part in their recruitment to serve in Grenada.

The vacant post of Solicitor General has to be filled by someone who is approved by the sub-regional body known as the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC).