17 April 2009 To: Mr. Ashley Bernedine From: Francis Alexis Grenlaw Chambers Dear Ashley, Yesterday, Thursday, 16th , somebody brought to my Chambers a Grenada Bar Association, (“the Bar”), voting proxy form regarding the Bar’s AGM yesterday at which officers were to be elected. I was not told who I was to be voting for. I did not fill the form. Nor did I attend the meeting. If I had been told that I was expected to authorise a vote for you, to be Bar President, I would not have done so. It must be, to say the least, rather awkward to have the spouse of a Minister in the Cabinet of Grenada be the President of the Bar . The potential for conflict of interest in such circumstances is so obvious that it is amazing it could even be considered. When Avril Trotman-Joseph contested the Bar Presidency against Ruggles Ferguson, there was discomfort about her spousal connection . And her husband was simply the Speaker. Now the Bar has gone much further, and put as its President one whose spouse is a Cabinet Minister . How does one reconcile such a blatant volte face? I profoundly protest, even if I do so alone . As you will expect I am copying this letter far and wide. All the best . Yours sincerely …………………………………… Francis Alexis