Me ANDRE ROBERT

ALIF HONOURED MEMBERS OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION WHO TOOK SILK OVER A DINNER PORT LOUIS

SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF ALIF SOCIETY

Me ZUBEIDA ISMAEL SALAJEE

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for this massive turn-up to honor members of the bar and the law society,
1. Anwar Abdool Hamid Moollan and
2. Louis Charles Denis Hervé Duval, who have taken silk and
3. Zubeida Ismael Salajee and
4. André Joseph Rousset Robert, who have been elevated to Senior Attorneys.
It was an encouraging start ………. Everyone accepted our invitation to be honored but ALIF didn’t take into account the fact that Professionals have exigencies of their trade that can defeat all expectations. The latest to apologize is Nargis Bundhun who has undergone surgery yesterday. Let us wish her prompt recovery.
Facing the daunting task in talking to so many learned lawyers, solicitors and members of the Bench, I chose to deliver my speech after dinner when I believe you would be mellower and forbearing.
Alif Society feels honoured to celebrate the achievements of these Icons this evening which is a proud occasion not only for the recipients but for their parents and partners, families and friends. These are the dear ones who have supported them in their journey to this day, and have all rights to share some of the pride. We would like to congratulate them for the sacrifices they have made to reach this milestone and to have been justly rewarded for their investment in terms of time and forgone pleasures.
Our administration of justice is in the news, unfortunately, for wrong reasons: the talk of two-tiered practice, the best justice money can buy, or justice open to everyone just as first class travel is, double standard and banana republic are the terms used to describe it. In other words, the description brings water to the mill of Pierre-Joseph Proudhon who said: laws are spider webs for the rich and mighty, steel chains for the poor and weak, fishing nets in the hands of the government. In the absence of a World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index which measures how the rule of law is experienced by ordinary people, we are swayed to give credence to this opinion.
Two centuries ago, Adam Smith underlined that the prerequisite of economic success was a sound system of law supported by a trusted and trustworthy cadre of lawyers to provide legal advice and representation. The trouble, however, is that, criminals know their rights better than their wrongs. Hence, a body of high quality advocacy is essential to maintain the rule of law, a sine qua non condition for the existence of a civilized society. Sr. Counsels and Sr. Attorneys, be the vigilant ears of the blindfolded lady so that mortals like us would look with confidence to your advice as the ambassadors of the rule of law and to represent us before the courts.

Respected members of the Bar and the Law Society, the Justice system has been reinvigorated as a result of your insertion into the community of the Seniors with the added assurance of His Lordship the Chief Justice that you are the cream of the profession. Being the cream is the unique attribute to make excellence as an advocate.
The presence of three ladies in your ranks bodes for a profound change in the way law will be practiced. A study shows that women’s neurobiological and genetic difference from men will inevitably lead to much less litigation.
Mauritius is trying hard to be a brand name for efficiency, integrity, transparency, resourcefulness and the rule of law. We wish that your recognition crosses our borders to reach the Commonwealth and indeed the whole world, to attract business for our law firms which are an important pillar of our service industry. Members of the legal profession love to stress that the practice of law is a noble calling. But let us be frank. It is a business as well. Each business needs a brand. And a SC brings incalculable recognition to the value of the brand and goes a long way to attract business.
And allow me not to restrain myself to applaud with both hands the high earnings of some of your members. One cannot go against human nature which is attracted to those jobs with the highest rewards as long as, in the case of lawyers and attorneys, the fees are commensurate with their constitutional responsibilities and the issues at stake. If we yearn to have a first class legal profession, we need our ablest youths to join the profession; it is sheer folly to expect to attract them by miserable financial rewards. Forma Pauperis is here to take care of the less fortunate.

On a lighter note, do you know the story as told by an American judge when his wife changed her name on her Face book account? She was submerged with advertisement from divorce lawyers who suspected she had divorced and the commercial opportunities that had opened to them. The reflection of some thinkers prods you to question: who needs a lawyer or an attorney after all when you cannot even sue Hitler as Martin Luther King, Jr. said; everything Hitler did in Germany was legal and King was supported by Demonax the Cynic who averred that all laws are useless; for good men do not need laws at all, and bad men are made no better by them.
Abel and Caen proved that where there are people there will be crime. And where there is crime, there must be a legal system. And in desperation, humanity will shout Bring back the Lawyers and Solicitors.
Congratulations again and thank you for your attention.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
You must surely know that apart from Bridge-building, Alif is also involved in promoting the education of ambitious young Mauritians. Tonight, we have included in our list of honorees, Nushrath Maghoo, a lady with impeccable credentials. After bright secondary studies at le Bocage, she qualified as a graphic designer at Charles Telfair Institute but changed her mind to convert to a Beauty Specialist and graduated from the London School of Beauty and Make Up and the International Academy of Florida.
She has undertaken the maquillage of characters of the three Musketeers, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland and the hairstyling and make-up of Fashion Models and Brides at several weddings in Florida. She was elected among the top 20 Junior Style Stars when she represented her Academy in September 2014 in South Daytona in the largest American inter-State Bridal up-do competition.
At present, she is offering affordable and qualitative services to trendy Mauritian woman under an exquisite roof in Royal Street, Port Louis, with a professional smile.
Put your hands together and wish this young lady the best of luck.
I will now invite Mrs. Vyapoory to offer a present in the name of Alif to
Mr. Moollan, to Mr. Duval and to Ashraff bin Azmaan
And Mrs. Husnoo to
Miss Salajee, Mr. Robert and Miss Maghoo.
I’ll leave the floor to Mr. Moollan who will speak on behalf of the Silks
and Mr. Robert who will speak on behalf of the Sr. Attorneys.
Enjoy you deserts now.