By Andrew Keili
“All we know about the new economic world tells us that nations which train engineers will prevail over those which train lawyers. No nation has ever sued its way to greatness.”
-Richard Lamm
The contrast between the conduct of the professional associations for engineers and lawyers could not have been more stark. One group held its annual conference at Brookfields hotel over a whole week, culminating in an AGM at which officials were elected and a dinner and dance held. The other held a factional EGM on Jomo Kenyatta road, by Brookfields hotel after being denied access into the hotel’s premises by security forces. This followed a contentious AGM in Kenema. One had politicians showing little interest in its deliberations. The other had them expressing preferences as to who should get elected to its Executive body.
I was pleased to attend the most recent biennial conference of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE) at the end of June. We had an exciting few days of insightful presentations and discussions on various topics and addresses by Industry leaders on aspects of the theme-“Contemporary approaches to engineering education and practices”. The agenda included everything from the launch of the Young Professional Engineers’ Forum to discussions on AI, climate vulnerability, and lifelong learning. SLIE invited guests from sister associations in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Liberia. After the AGM, we held a dinner and dance during which we had the investiture of a new President, induction of our new Council members and Fellows, messages from our overseas guests, a visionary speech by our new President, Ing. Oba Jones and an inspirational keynote speech by the British High Commissioner, Lisa Chesney.
I was mightily proud of our Engineering Institution. We had a transition from a Council led by our first female President, Ing. Trudy Morgan who had done so much to get the new Professional Engineering Registration Act passed, encouraged more women and young Engineers to join the Institution and take leadership roles and encouraged continued professional development for engineers. Her Executive passed on the baton to the new Executive in the normal organized fashion. There were no contentious elections, no street meetings, no negative social media postings, no tripartite post-election negotiations required and certainly no rancour. Congratulations to my fellow engineers! The only downside was when the Minister of Works, whose Ministry superintends over engineering affairs, sent a message just before the dinner started saying he could not give the keynote address at the dinner because of “pressing state matters I have to handle”. I remarked as the MC (and I absolved the Institution from my remarks) that perhaps it was a good thing that “weighty matter of state” took up his time at the eleventh hour because the British High Commissioner who was prevailed upon to deliver the speech at the last minute was so inspirational in her speech! Fortunately for us, she had no pressing engagements from the British Prime Minister at that time!
I have wondered aloud why our lawyer friends cannot take a leaf out of our book and I will venture to proffer an answer-that answer seems to be the incessant intrusion of politics into their association over a long period of time. It may not always be in the interest of politicians to have the Bar Association play those parts of its role related to protecting the rule of law and defending the independence of the legal profession, necessitating its indulging in activities which may be critical of the government in power. We have over time witnessed blatant political interference into the functioning of the Bar, aided and abetted by senior members of the Bar itself.
But why would politicians be so concerned about the Bar Association and its leadership? A quote from Jerry Seinfeld may help us understand- “To me, a lawyer is basically the person that knows the rules of the country. We’re all throwing the dice, playing the game, moving our pieces around the board, but if there is a problem the lawyer is the only person who has read the inside of the top of the box.” Basically, it is in the interest of some politicians of various political stripes to influence those who influence our Justice system and who have “read the inside of the top of the box“ and can be influenced to interpret its contents any which way.
Since the end of that now infamous AGM in Kenema the recently elected President of the Bar Association (hereinafter referred to as “Half Bar”) who is not recognized by an aggrieved rebel faction of the Bar Association (hereinafter referred to as the “Rebel Bar”) has met with His Excellency the President and the Acting Chief Justice and also attended a mediation meeting with the Attorney General with the leaders of the “Rebel Bar”. The caretaker team of seasoned legal practitioners, including some Past Association Presidents appointed by the “Rebel Bar”, whilst putting plans in place for a new AGM has been cited in a request from lawyers acting on behalf of the “Half Bar” to desist from the “illegal actions” being undertaken by them. The Association is split right down the middle. The President of the “Half Bar” has been heard saying she wants to extend an olive branch to the rival faction but the branch does not seem to be growing fast enough.
Truth be told, professional standards have fallen in both professions. Engineering contracts are often given out with no recourse to engineering expertise or professional competence. The Engineering Institution has sometimes tried to fight back to save its reputation and maintain standards in the practice of the profession with limited success.
Successive governments have been unfair to both Associations, rendering them largely ineffective in meeting their mandates. In the case of the Engineers, it is by treating the institution with levity. For the lawyers, it is by being overly interested in what the institution does and who leads them. This is unfortunate, as Professional Associations should raise their heads above the parapet to make government accountable. A professional organization performs services that are intended to improve public health, safety and welfare. This demands dedication beyond Pecuniary and Personal-Commitment to the ‘calling’.
One wishes governments could rise up to the challenge and treat professional institutions of all kinds with seriousness and not for political gain -Lawyers, Engineers, Architects, Accountants and other Associations which may be getting dispirited by the inaction of successive governments to their entreaties. In reality, criticism from certain quarters, if genuine can sometimes help keep the government on its toes to achieve great things.
But what do we do with our lawyers who are engaged in “the battle of the wig wearers”. “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers” is among Shakespeare’s most famous lines Henry V1). Shakespeare may be making a joke when the character “Dick The Butcher” suggests one of the ways the band of pretenders to the throne can improve the country is to kill all the lawyers. I don’t subscribe to killing all the lawyers. They are much too useful in helping us solve our societal problems (well some of the lawyers!).
The country needs the Bar Association to put its house in order. The Association should be given the latitude to work alongside government with a focus on the justice system and reinforce people’s capacity to demand justice and accountability, two basic components of sustainable peace. This cannot be achieved with a “Half Bar” and “Rebel Bar”, but with a “Full Bar”. And whilst respected top people in the legal profession are trying to bridge the divide by ensuring that the olive branch grows, it behoves politicians to “stay action”. Who knows? -may be the Engineers should help!
Ponder my thoughts.
