00:00 A photo posted by the Finance Ministry on Facebook shows Acting Prime Minister and Finance
00:06 Minister Colm Imbert signing the condolence book for the late former Chief Justice Michael
00:12 de Labestead at the Hall of Justice on Friday. The Finance Ministry said the Acting Prime
00:18 Minister also exchanged words of comfort and solace with the family of Mr de Labestead.
00:25 Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and his wife, Attorney-at-Law Sharon Rowley, left for Ireland
00:30 on vacation earlier this week. Another photo posted by the Finance Ministry
00:34 also shows President Christine Kangaloo was in attendance at the signing of the condolence
00:40 book for Mr de Labestead at the Hall of Justice on Friday. The Finance Ministry also said
00:46 Chief Justice Ivor Archie was also present. The Office of the Prime Minister announced
00:51 on Friday that the official funeral for former Chief Justice de Labestead will be held on
00:56 Thursday, April 11 at the Church of the Assumption, Long Circular Road, Maraval at 10am. TV6 News
01:03 also understands that unlike a state funeral, the protocols for an official funeral do not
01:08 include the national flag being flown at half-mast on the days leading up to the funeral, and
01:14 an official funeral does not include the full military honours of a state funeral.
01:20 Contacted for comment, Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Minister Dr Amy Brown said state funerals
01:26 are accorded to heads of state and government. Regarding the official funeral for the former
01:31 Chief Justice, the Foreign Affairs Minister told TV6 News that the government is currently
01:35 working closely with the de Labestead family, with the Ministry of the Attorney General,
01:40 the CCJ, the judiciary and other key stakeholders in the planning process for an official funeral
01:46 in honour of the outstanding life and service of Michael de Labestead. Mr de Labestead also
01:53 served as the first President of the CCJ, the Caribbean Court of Justice, which is located
01:58 in Port of Spain. In a statement, CARICOM said Mr de Labestead will be remembered for
02:04 establishing the foundation for "high-functioning, responsive regional jurisprudence, the hallmark
02:11 of the CCJ". The OPM said members of the public are invited to sign the condolence
02:16 books in memory of Mr Justice de Labestead on Monday, April 8, from 9am to 3pm at the
02:23 Hall of Justice, Knox Street, Port of Spain, and the Caribbean Court of Justice Headquarters
02:28 on Henry Street in Port of Spain. Members of the public have also been invited to sign
02:33 the condolence books on Tuesday, April 9 and Friday, April 12, from 9am to 3pm at the Hall
02:40 of Justice and the Caribbean Court of Justice Headquarters in Port of Spain, the Hall of
02:45 Justice in Scarborough, Tobago, and the Princess Town Court, Naparima Mearo Road, Princess
02:50 Town. The OPM said further details will be provided at a later date. Jule Brown, TV6
02:58 News.
02:58 [BLANK_AUDIO]
Comments