Sylvia Judith Bertrand

Sylvia Judith Bertrand (1930 – 7 June 2009) was a Dominican civil servant who went on to earn a law degree in Dominica and serve as the Director of Public Prosecution. She served as Solicitor General for Dominica and later as High Court Judge for Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the British Virgin Islands on the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

Sylvia Judith Bertrand
Born1930 (1930)
Portsmouth, Dominica
Died2009 (aged 78–79)
Roseau, Dominica
NationalityDominican
Other namesSylvia Bertrand
Occupationcivil servant, judge
Years active1956–1996
Known forfirst woman Solicitor General of Dominica and first woman judge of St. Vincent & the Grenadines

Early life

Sylvia Judith Bertrand was born in 1930[1] in Portsmouth, Dominica to Octavia (née Savarin) and Tyrill Bertrand. After attending primary school in Portsmouth, she attended Convent High School in Roseau, where she excelled at sports. She participated on the National Netball Team and was one of the founders in 1950 of the Dominica Netball Club.[2]

Career

In 1956, Bertrand began working as a court reporter in the colonial civil service. She worked on several Inquiry Commissions, including the 1958 Carnival Day murders in La Plaine and the 1963 Carnival Day fire. Her work encouraged her to seek further education in her field and in 1965, she resigned and moved to England where she resided with her older brother Hubert, to seek a law degree. Upon completion of her studies, Bertrand returned to Dominica[2] and on 4 October 1969, was admitted to the bar to practice law in Dominica.[3]

In 1980, with the election of Eugenia Charles as Prime Minister of Dominica, Bertrand, who was serving at the time as Director of Public Prosecution, became involved in the prosecution of the various forces involved in the coup d'états against Charles' administration.[2][4][5] Her successful prosecution of the involved parties, resulted in Bertrand's elevation[2] as the Solicitor General of Dominica in 1982. The first woman to hold the post, she served until 1984, when she was assigned as a puisne judge in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, becoming the first female judge of Saint Vincent.[3]

Bertrand was confirmed in 1985 as the High Court Judge representing Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and the British Virgin Islands for the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.[2][6] Serving for seven years, she retired in 1992 and then returned to Dominica, where she served as Chair of the Social Security Board from 1994 to 1996.[6]

Death and legacy

Bertrand died on 7 June 2009 at Princess Margaret Hospital in Roseau, Dominica.[2] Bertrand's niece, Karyl Bertrand, daughter of her brother Hubert, is a commercial attorney of note in Curaçao.[7]

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See also
  • First women lawyers around the world

References

Citations
  1. Annual Report 2009, p. 3.
  2. André 2009.
  3. Brathwaite 1999, p. 280.
  4. The Gleaner & 31 July 1981, p. 25.
  5. The Gleaner & 15 August 1981, p. 24.
  6. Annual Report 2009, p. 55.
  7. The Dominican 2012.

Bibliography
  • André, Irving (10 June 2009). "Dominica mourns the death of Justice Slyvia Judith Bertrand". Laurel, Maryland: The Dominican. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Brathwaite, Joan A. (1999). Women and the Law: A Bibliographical Survey of Legal and Quasi-legal Materials with Special Reference to Commonwealth Caribbean Jurisdictions and Including Relevant Commonwealth Caribbean Legislation and Case Material. Kingston, Jamaica: University of the West Indies Press. ISBN 978-976-640-069-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Annual Report 2008-2009 (PDF) (Report). Castries, Saint Lucia: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  • "Dominican Govt. moves to link ex-PM with April's coup plot". The Gleaner. Kingston, Jamaica. 31 July 1981. p. 25. Retrieved 20 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
  • "Dominicans in Curacao". Laurel, Maryland: The Dominican. 14 November 2012. Archived from the original on 23 March 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
  • "Hearings into attempted coup open in Dominica". The Gleaner. Kingston, Jamaica. 15 August 1981. p. 24. Retrieved 20 October 2017 – via Newspaperarchive.com.
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