Lawyers to continue strike
decision expected Thursday
MARIGOT--The Bar Association of Guadeloupe at a general assembly on Wednesday decided to prolong the general strike of lawyers in Guadeloupe and St. Martin until the decision on Harry Durimel is rendered, following an unsuccessful appeal to the judge to annul the charges, Patricia Chance-Duzant disclosed Wednesday.
Some 200 lawyers are involved in the strike action in Guadeloupe and about 12 in St. Martin. The Bar Association has not suspended Durimel pending an outcome to the investigation.
Duzant said it was her understanding the Judge would make his decision next Thursday.
Durimel, who is also running in this Saturday’s Legislative Election as a candidate for the Green Party, possibly faces professional ruin if alleged charges of violating professional confidentiality, said to be related to a case he worked on in 2004, are proven.
“At the moment, I don’t know what happens after the decision is made, said Duzant. “If it’s a bad decision there will be the opportunity to appeal to a higher court but we are not at that point yet.”
She said the Bar Association wants to put a stop to unfounded and unjustified charges being brought against lawyers who are simply doing their work, and added that other lawyers, not only Harry Durimel, are being harassed.
“If the lawyers association felt this case was justified, we would not be going this far. The judicial system is intentionally interfering and intimidating us, making us do what it wants us to do and not what we are supposed to do as lawyers to defend our clients,” she added.
