[UPDATED] 'Law was his life'

SIPPING on a glass of scotch, legs crossed on a two-seater couch, after getting her earrings, Angela Bernard, the widow of retired Chief Justice Clinton Bernard recalled their 60-plus years together.

Bernard died at the family’s home in Westmoorings around 11.30 am yesterday. The 89-year-old was ailing for some time and had a caretaker. Around 11.15 am, Angela said her husband complained of not being able to breathe. She said she tried frantically to call an ambulance but the numbers dialled were either out of service or wrong. By the time someone arrived at the front gate, at noon, he had already died.

As troubling as that may seem to many, Angela, who boasted of being married to the man she predicted would become Chief Justice two decades before, said she does not live a negative life and always remain positive. Her life’s outlook mirrored that of her husband who, she said, was a humble man who never forgot his upbringing.

“The law was his life. He lived for the law.” He would be home researching for his judgements and did not neglect his family.”

Angela, 90, laughed heartily saying she was almost a child bride being married for such a lengthy time. She recalled that when Bernard began to show interest in her, she told him he needed to lift weights as he was too skinny for her.

“I told him lift weights and he started to do that. He never stopped after we got together,” she said laughing lustily when a relative interjected, “he lifted weights for your heart”.

Angela said her husband loved classical music and pan, particularly any pan side that was led by Len “Boogsie” Sharpe. On Sundays, he would take his family for long drives in the country. Raising two girls and one boy, Angela said her husband enjoyed his life.

Speaking of his years before he became CJ, Angela said she predicted her husband would lead the judiciary one day.

“I predicted that he would become Chief Justice. There was a picture, like that one (pointing to an old photograph of Bernard in his then compulsory wig). I wrote behind it Future Chief Justice”

At the launch of his biography, Beyond the Bridge, in August last year, the retired CJ thanked his wife for staying with him through everything. The book, he said then, was dedicated to her. He said in 1961, his wife made the prediction writing it into history at the back of a photo.

Bernard was the country’s 43rd chief justice and the sixth after TT became an independent nation. He is the second former chief justice to die this month. On October 9, Satnarine Sharma passed away at his home after ailing for some time with cancer. He was cremated on October 12.

Angela said her husband was very hurt by a decision taken not to increase the pension of retired judicial officers. She added that it was under his tenure that judges were given housing and housing allowances and their salaries were untaxed.

Bernard voiced his hurt when at the launch of his autobiography over the 2014 failure to increase the pension of retired judges. He said though that he had forgiven those in public office for this.

“This may not go down well, but I have to say it, because it is something that has hurt me to the bone. I’ve lived with it for 24 to 25 years. But I’m mentioning it now so that you will appreciate how hurt I have been over this,” Bernard said at the book launch

Chief Justice: He saw something in me

Mingled among the mourners were current Chief Justice Ivor Archie. Archie said although he was “a bit emotional” at the time, he recalled the tutelage he received from Bernard as a young attorney.

“Many people misunderstood him but he had a big heart and as a young attorney he would call me and give me advice and guidance. I will miss him immensely.”

“Between him and me there were two other chief justices. He was instrumental in me becoming Chief Justice because of the guidance he gave that allowed my career to take a particular path. I guess he saw something in me.”

In a media release yesterday, the Judiciary said Bernard left an “indelible mark" on the local and regional legal environments.

“The Judiciary owes a debt of gratitude to Chief Justice Bernard for his vision and far reaching judgements and reforms during his tenure. Judges salaries and pensions were adjusted and benefits were enhanced. The beautiful robes with their national colours worn by Judges today, had their design genesis with him. There was a slew of technical innovation and physical improvement which he put in place that paved the way for many of the changes that followed for the enhanced delivery of justice to the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.”

The “legal giant” as he was referred to, was considered to be a man of deep passion for his fellow man. Bernard’s love for the steelpan made him a lifetime member of Pan Trinbago, thanks to his love for the steelpan and contributions to the steelband movement.

Bernard's bio

Bernard, born in East Port of Spain in 1930 was the eleventh of 12 children. He first was a teacher before becoming a lawyer and was called to the bar in 1961. His three-decade long career was often spent defending and interpreting TT's untested Constitution.

After study in the United Kingdom, where he was called to the Bar in 1960, Bernard returned to TT in 1961. He joined the Attorney General’s Department as a Legal cadet and that commenced a long and distinguished career that saw appointments as Senior Counsel in 1966, deputy Solicitor General and acting appointments as Solicitor General and Director of Public Prosecutions. Appointed as Puisine Judge on November 1, 1977, he was elevated to the Court of appeal in 1982 and sworn in as Chief Justice on December 23, 1985. Justice Bernard received the Trinity Cross, now the Order of the Republic, the country’s highest honour, in 1986.

This story was originally published with the title "Ex-chief justice Clinton Bernard dies at 89" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

TWO WEEKS after the passing of former chief justice Satnarine Sharma, another retired chief justice has died.

Clinton Bernard, 89, who was chief justice from 1985 to 1995, passed away at his Westmoorings home just before noon on Saturday. He chaired the commission of enquiry into the Piarco International Airport affair which led to charges against several prominent businessmen.

At the launch of his autobiography Beyond the Bridge, in August 2018, Bernard said he felt hurt when the government failed to increase the pension of retired judges back in 2014, but he had forgiven them.

“This may not go down well, but I have to say it because it is something that has hurt me to the bone. I’ve lived with it for 24 to 25 years. But I’m mentioning it now so that you will appreciate how hurt I have been over this,” Bernard told his audience during the launch at Stollmeyer's Castle, Port of Spain.

Bernard was born in East Port of Spain in 1930, the second youngest of 12, and was first a teacher before becoming a lawyer and was called to the bar in 1961. His three-decade long career was often spent defending and interpreting TT's untested Constitution.

His “pivotal” judgments on aspects of local jurisprudence still resonate in judgements today, retired Justice of Appeal Margot Warner said in her review of Beyond the Bridge.

“They were not for personal aggrandisement but to give hope to the hopeless and marginalised, that social conditions were not a barrier to success,” she said.

Bernard had thanked his wife Angela, who long before his appointment as chief justice, predicted the outcome – behind his first photo dressed in his lawyer’s robes in 1961, Angela had scribbled “Future Chief Justice.”

On Friday, members of the Judiciary paid tribute to Sharma, who died on October 9 at home after ailing for some time with cancer.