Retiring Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Sir Brian Alleyne has spoken about the many challenges he has faced since his appointment as a High Court Judge from July 1, 1996.
Sir Brian was at the time responding to tributes paid to him by the local Bar at a special High Court sitting honouring him on his retirement from the Bench.
He recalled that on his first day on the Bench he was confronted by a one man demonstration staged by former Attorney General in the ill-fated 1979 83 People's Revolutionary Government (PRG), Kenrick Radix bearing placards protesting his appointment.
"One of my best friends until his premature demise, the late Kenrick Radix made it very clear that he thought that my appointment was inappropriate," Sir Brian said.
The Dominica-born jurist also pointed out that it was while sitting on the local Bench that a suit was filed against him urging that he step aside from sitting on any case in which a certain attorney was appearing.
That suit was brought by Jamaican Hugh Wildman who felt that Justice Alleyne was bias in his judgements against him and the Government of Grenada.
Sir Brian, sitting a a high court judge, rebuked Wildman in a written judgement involving a criminal libel brought by Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell against editor of the Grenada today newspaper, George Worme.
The Dominican slammed Wildman for attempting to twist certain questions that were referred to him for judicial guidance by sitting Magistrate, Patricia Mark.
According to Sir Brian, all these experiences as a judge have contributed to the growth of his character, and his legal judicial and life experiences.
Sir Brian said that in considering the most important, significant, challenging and rewarding part of his professional life, he feels the need to recognise and honour a number of people who have impacted on him and what he has done with his life.
First on the list was his father, Keith Alleyne who, according to the retiring CJ was his first teacher of law and eventually law partner.
Keith Alleyne served as Attorney General in Grenada in the 1950's and early 1960's, and again in the late 1960's into 1971.
Sir Brian also honoured his mother whom he said formed his character through firm and principled parenting.
He also paid tribute to the teachers and fellow students at the various schools he attended, in particular the Presentation Brothers' College (PBC) in St. George's.
"The Presentation College through the Brothers and other teachers, against all the odds laid a strong foundation of open mindedness and intellectual honesty, integrity and diligence from which I have benefitted," he said.
The retiring Acting Chief Justice also paid tribute to Queen's Counsel, Carol Bristol who he said influenced him in the choice of career to pursue, as well as first judicial colleague on the bench, Justice Lyle St. Paul.
According to Alleyne, Justice St. Paul guided and shepherded him in his early times on the Bench in 1996."All these people and many others... have had a significant influence on where I am today. And I owe whatever I may have achieved to (a) very large extent to you and to them", he told the sitting.
Sir Brian spoke of Grenada having played a significant role in his life and recounted that it was here he virtually obtained all of his secondary school education, and his best friends were and are Grenadians.
"To a large extent my character was formed here (in Grenada), and my initiation into the judiciary took place in this country," he said."I have had my baptisms of fire, but I have also had a wonderful relationship with Grenada which, after Dominica, I consider home and my favourite island," he added.
