Former Chief Justice of Barbados, Sir Denys Williams, has been hailed as an outstanding judicial officer and a true leader of the judiciary.
The sentiments came from Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson and his predecessor Sir David Simmons as they paid tribute to Sir Denys who died in his sleep at his home in Rockley, Christ Church yesterday.
Sir Denys, 84, who also acted as Governor General between December 1995 and June 1996 was the island’s longest serving judicial officer upon his retirement in 2001 – having served for 34 years.
In paying tribute, Sir Marston said that Sir Denys, who was appointed a judge in 1967 and made chief justice in 1987, was gracious, kind and enormously erudite in the law.
“He was very quiet, reserved but an intellectual titan … It is because of his sterling leadership that our judicial system continues to be strong.
“We are the poorer for his passing. He was one of those who made an immense contribution to the development of Barbadian jurisprudence. He was an intrepid leader of the judiciary,” Sir Marston said while expressing condolences to the Williams family.
Sir David, who took up the position after Sir Denys, described him as outstanding almost beyond challenge.
“He was by any standard an excellent and outstanding judge; hard-working, possessed of a vast knowledge of law and he rendered his decisions in a most timely and admirable manner… The decisions were so sound in law as to almost be impregnable and not easily susceptible to challenge,” Sir David stated.
Those who practised before Sir Denys, who was one of youngest serving judges in the Commonwealth when he was appointed at 37, would agree, Sir David said, that he demonstrated the best practice of a judge, unfailingly courteous to all, patient and seldom intervened during a trial. Sir Denys, a legal scholar, never betrayed his thoughts during a trial, he said.
Sir David, who is overseas as part of a panel conducting interviews for positions on the Cayman Islands Bench, was joined in his sentiments by president of the Court of Appeal of Bermuda, Justice Edward Zacca as both expressed condolences to Sir Denys’ widow Lady Williams and their children.
Sir Denys, twice awarded a knighthood, in 1987 and in 1993, has been associated with several major decisions. In May 1992 he delivered the highly anticipated judgement in the challenge to the then Government’s controversial eight per cent cut in public sector salaries, declaring the state’s action legal.
That same year, in a rare Sunday morning court sitting, Sir Denys upheld an application for a stay of execution in the case of murderers Denzil Orlando Roberts and Peter Bradshaw. The Chief Justice also set guidelines for the shackling of prisoners.
In 2008 the High Court upheld Sir Denys’ $58 million award to Barrack Construction when he, as sole arbiter, made the ruling in the conflict between the firm and the National Housing Corporation, a state agency.
An island scholar, Sir Denys studied at Combermere School and Harrison College and went on to study law at Oxford University before being admitted to the English Bar at the Middle Temple.
He leaves to mourn Lady Williams and his children Fiona, Shaun, Clare, Roslyn and Simon and five grandchildren. A daughter, Denise, predeceased him. (AC)
