Pictured are former Governor General HE Arthur Dion Hanna, Sr.; Senator the Hon. Allyson Maynard-Gibson; and Arthur Dion Hanna, Jr. during the press conference to announce his retirement as Director of the Legal Aid Clinic at the Eugene Dupuch Law School. The press conference took place on Monday, 20th April 2015 at the Ministry of Legal Affairs. (BIS Photo/Elcott Coleby)
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NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Attorney General and Minister of
Legal Affairs the Hon. Allyson Maynard-Gibson extolled Arthur Dion Hanna, Jr.
for his outstanding service to the nation, his stellar contributions to legal
aid particularly for the less fortunate, and for providing access to justice.
The Attorney General announced on Monday, April 20, that Mr.
Hanna is stepping down from his position as Director of the Legal Aid Clinic at
the Eugene Dupuch Law School. She referred to the occasion as a
“red-letter day” in the history of The Bahamas.
Among those present at the Press Conference were senior
Government officials from the Office of the Attorney General and family members
including Mr. Hanna’s father, former Governor-General His Excellency Arthur D. Hanna,
Sr., his daughter Rawiya Rahming, and son Kwame Hanna.
“All I did was a job,” said Mr. Hanna in his response. At
times emotional, Mr. Hanna paid tribute to his father and mother, the late
Beryl Hanna, for imbuing him with a sense of justice.
He expressed gratitude to his father for his integrity,
sense of patriotism and dedication, and to his mother whom he described as the”
first patriot” of legal aid in The Bahamas.
The Hon. Damian Gomez, Minister of State in the Ministry of
Legal Affairs said Mr. Hanna has made a “sterling” contribution to
jurisprudence in The Bahamas and it is important to salute people who have
championed the practice of law for “ordinary” people.
“You’ve been a tremendous benefit to the community and to
the poor. It’s important that all stakeholders in our community appreciate the
value of the justice system and that can only be achieved if there is access to
justice.”
Elsworth Johnson, President of the Bahamas Bar Association
and Director of the Legal Aid Clinic described Mr. Hanna as a nationalist, who
possesses a “passion for the law”.
He said Mr. Hanna has become a friend, father and mentor to
him and has championed the cause for prisoners, the poor, the indigent, the
motherless and prisoners.
“You have demonstrated what being a Bahamian is about and
what it is to be a lawyer,” said Mr. Johnson. “Even when colleagues would
breach the ethical practice of codes of the profession, you did not hesitate to
give them a call. You’ve done it a lot, sometimes at the sacrifice of yourself
and family. I wish more of the senior lawyers should take a page from your book
and we would have a much better profession.”
Garvin Gaskin, Director of Public Prosecutions said he was
impressed by Mr. Hanna’s humble and genuine disposition. “You are actually a
public servant of the truest sense. You’ve molded young, budding attorneys and
I commend you for your contributions,” he added.
Along with the Attorney General, Mr. Hanna thanked the staff
of the Legal Aid Clinic, the Eugene Dupuch Law School, the Council of Legal
Education and Bahamians for allowing him the opportunity to “reconnect” with
his soul and roots as he traversed the Family Islands and the Caribbean.
