COU COU & FLYING FISH: Here comes the judge…

FIVE MEN AND two women are said to be the main candidates for the three new judgeships soon to be established.

Four are Queen’s Counsels – one with a long-standing reputation for educating the public about legal matters as well as working with credit unions and a trade union. Another is a former educator whose claim to fame has been securing top jobs; the third has an enduring relationship with an educational institution and has a successful legal practice with his sibling; and the other is an established prosecutor

One of the male candidates is the top legal man at a leading public sector organisation which plays a central role in the financial sector here.

It is expected that one of the seats must go to a woman, and the two said to be in the running were recently promoted and have solid reputations as magistrates.

Though most of the candidates are well qualified, if politics does not play any part of the decision, the three going forward should be pretty obvious.

The eyes of the legal profession are watching the Government on this one, and Cou Cou has been told that if attorneys believe the usual yardfowlism that afflicts most decisions occurs with these, a lot of noise is going to be heard.   

 Top 10 questions

IS IT TRUE that the majority of the top ten performers in this year’s 11-Plus exam attend private schools?

Could this be the real reason why Minister of Education Ronald Jones did not reveal the Top 10 list as usual and refused to get into discussion about public versus private schools?

Ministry insiders told Cou Cou that if a check was made at the various schools about their top students’ marks, all would be revealed.

Assuming that our tip is correct, could it be that Jones is trying to spare his ministry embarrassment? After all, how could he justify the spending of so many millions on a public school system that is being outdone by private schools?

What Cou Cou is even more curious about is what the Class 4 teachers at public schools would attribute to the overall performances of their children vis-a-vis those from the private schools.

Is it possible that they would blame the constant friction with the ministry and, some may say, too frequent tongue-lashings from Jones that has undermined their confidence?

Come Mr Jones. Prove this isn’t so.

 One knight coming soon

IF OUR FLY on the wall is accurate, this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours List may lick Barbadians for six.

Word is that when it is released later this month at least one Barbadian will be elevated to a knighthood.

While this is not unusual, given the trend of recent years, the controversy may surround the person chosen.

From what Cou Cou was told, discussion first centred around three white Barbadian businessmen, but then someone suggested a prominent politician who is not one of their own.

The noise that erupted over the suggestion made our fly flee, so we’re not sure what was decided. Suffice to say, though, that the name tossed in the ring has been the present power brokers’ main nemesis for two decades. And though he no longer officially opposes them, in his singular position he continues to give them verbal lashes.

Chatter gleamed from the corridors of power since then suggests the most likely recipient will be the man who seems to have most favoured status with the Freundel Stuart administration, based on the number of contracts his companies have won since 2008 and a top board appointment. And, as he is already the holder of a significant national honour, his elevation is rather straightforward.

The second person reportedly close in the reckoning has similar credentials to the first. He’s already a recipient of a high national order for his success as an entrepreneur and job creator.

The third represents the old, white, monied classes. However, his and his family’s history of fair play and lack of prejudice through the years has built an enviable reputation amongst the public.