Chancellor requests interview cited as offensive to be re-broadcast Says let public decide Stabroek News October 23, 2000 The Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard, has requested GTV 11 to re-broadcast the One-on-One interview in which he made remarks on female members of the legal profession that have sparked an uproar. Justice Kennard denied that he had made any remark which could be considered objectionable but will leave it up to the public to decide. The interview is expected to be re-broadcast this week. Meanwhile, the Guyana Human Rights Association (GHRA) has called for the Chancellor to withdraw remarks in which he is reported as saying that "the legal profession is for men." His remarks were made in commenting on the growing number of women in the profession. "The Chancellor's comment has repercussions not only for women lawyers but for all women, should cases involving women's rights come before him." It added that "whatever course of action he chooses to take, however, the chilling effect of the Head of the Judiciary harbouring views so out of step with the Constitution and international human rights norm cannot be removed." The GHRA in its statement issued on Friday said that "such patronising comments, while offensive in themselves are unacceptable coming from one charged with ensuring such prejudice becomes a thing of the past." The statement also referred to the rights of women as set out in Article 29(1) of the Constitution and the recommendation of the Constitution Reform Commission that these rights be elevated to the status of fundamental rights. The Working People's Alliance has also weighed in with its criticism of the remarks attributed to Justice Kennard. In its statement, the WPA said that the Chancellor should "resign rather than maintain his oppressive behaviour." It said too that the statement attributed to him "goes against his Oath of Office sworn by him in which he undertook to uphold the Constitution. "It (Kennard's statement) violates the bases of many laws guaranteeing gender equality, laws on which the learned Chancellor will surely one day be called upon to pass final judgement." The WPA observed that whether he knows it or not, "the Chancellor has violated the Convention for the total Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to which Guyana is a signatory" and that "some sanction ought to follow." And the Guyana Bar Association has said it is "deeply disturbed by the remarks made on public television by the Chancellor of the Judiciary regarding the role and professional abilities of the female members of the Bar." "It is unacceptable that such statements were made by the Chancellor," the GBA commented in a release Friday. The GBA also noted that it "is proud of the significant and invaluable ongoing contributions of female legal practitioners." Moreover, it "rejects any statement that appears discriminatory and gender divisive. Such statements are misconceived," the association declared. Follow the goings-on in Guyana in Guyana Today