23-year-old news editor admitted to Guyana Bar
Naomi Christie, the editor-in-chief of “News Watch”, which is aired on Little Rock Television Station, Berbice was admitted to the Guyana Bar on Friday.
In a packed courtroom at the Berbice High Court, Attorney General Anil Nandlall presented a petition to Justice Brassington Reynolds to have Christie accepted to the Bar.
The 23-year-old Christie attended St Therese Primary before attending the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary from 2001 to 2008. She gained passes in 14 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams, and was among the top ten performers in the country at the 2006-2007 Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).
Nandlall, in presenting her credentials, said Christie entered into the law programme at the University of Guyana in 2008 and graduated in 2011.
“While there she participated in two mooting competitions at the Caribbean Court of Justice, Trinidad. In 2010, she was awarded the Anne Blue Award for best performance in Part II of the law programme. Upon completion of the programme, she was awarded a Bachelor’s of Law degree with distinction and presented with the Pro-Chancellor’s Award for best graduating student.”
Christie completed her legal studies at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad (2011-2013). The attorney general, who is also the legal affairs minister, said in her first year, Christie was awarded the Justice Jessi Haynes Memorial Prize for best performance in the law of remedies. “She also participated in the Hamel-Smith Mooting Competition 2012. At the completion of her studies, she was awarded the Legal Education Certificate and placed on the honours roll.”
Justice Reynolds welcomed Christie, telling her that he was impressed and not to forget the standards that she was trained to uphold.
“The climb to the summit of your career has now begun. No position is right in law. It is your interpretation of the law…. Judges and magistrates are human, so you have to try to convince them…”
Upholding ideals
Christie, who made a vow to uphold the integrity of the legal profession and to adhere to its ethical standards, told the media during an interview that she was relieved to have completed her studies.
“I am ready again to hit the highest point of the ladder.”
Currently, Christie is working at the attorney general’s office where she is hoping to gain experience before branching out.
“I am going to help everybody that is in need and I want to be a voice for persons who don’t have a voice and especially for the poor people.” She said she will press forward to make Guyana proud.
Christie, who is engaged only with civil matters at the attorney general’s office, said she sees herself as a criminal lawyer.
“I want to make a difference. As the AG said, the judiciary is crumbling, it needs a lot of work, it needs somebody to pick it up and dust it off, but I can’t do it by myself. I am hoping to get the support of all the other attorneys, persons in the community, and we are going to make a difference. The support that I saw today was overwhelming, and if I can get the support of persons around me, I think I can make a difference worldwide.”
Christie said becoming a lawyer was never her ambition, but her mother wanted her to become a lawyer. She, however, has no regrets.
Naomi is the daughter of Rockcliff and Pearl Christie, the proprietors of Little Rock Television Station and Little Rock Suites.
