The High Commissioner for The Bahamas, His Excellency Paul Andrew Gomez, recently visited Newcastle to meet members of Trinity Chambers as well as Northumbria University's Vice Chancellor and Head of the Law School.
The High Commissioner's visit was arranged with the collaboration of Northumbria University's Law School's overseas development team and Chambers’ staff and members, including Bahamian born barrister Troy Benjamin who is now living in the UK and practising from Trinity.
The aim of the visit was to explore opportunities for Bahamian students to come to the region to study and develop their legal careers. The Bahamas is one of a small number of countries that follows the English legal system meaning that students can complete their Bar qualification in the UK and then practice in The Bahamas.
After being welcomed to Chambers by Head of Trinity, Toby Hedworth K.C. the High Commissioner and his delegation met with staff and current pupils. In addition to discussing collaborative opportunities, the visit included a tour of Trinity's historic Custom House on Newcastle's Quayside.
Reflecting on the visit, Toby Hedworth K.C. said:
"It was both an honour and a pleasure to welcome the High Commissioner for The Bahamas to Trinity Chambers. His visit to The Custom House was an opportunity for us to discuss the great opportunities that can be provided to students from The Bahamas for vocational training in conjunction with our local universities, which have international reputations for the quality of their courses. The international legal world is shrinking, providing wonderful opportunities for those able to have achieved the best of qualifications."
Following their time at Trinity, the delegation spent the afternoon at Northumbria University where Mr Gomez met with Professor Andy Long, University Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive. The High Commissioner was then given a tour of Northumbria’s Law School, including its mock court room where he saw a moot in action, and also the Student Law Office, where he met several students working on cases. The delegation met several members of staff at the Law School, including its Head, Professor Michael Stockdale, together with two Bahamian law students studying at Northumbria.
Commenting on the Bahamian delegation's visit to the University, Professor Andy Long said:
“We were delighted to welcome the High Commissioner for the Bahamas to Northumbria, and to highlight the exceptional work of the University’s Law School...We have an international reputation for excellence in legal education, enriched by the research quality and professional practice expertise of our staff. We would like to welcome more students from the Bahamas to Northumbria, providing them with an outstanding educational experience that ensures they are equipped with the tools they need to succeed, anywhere in the world.”
Mr Gomez, who has been the High Commissioner for The Bahamas since April 2023, said:
“Our overall visit to Newcastle was excellent, and the High Commission clearly identified areas of potential collaboration, and synergies with The Bahamas, going forward.”
The Newcastle visit follows Troy's meeting earlier in the year in London with a senior Bahamian delegation that included the Prime Minister, The Hon. Philip E. Davis K.C., Governor General of The Bahamas, His Excellency Cornelius A Smith, and Mr Gomez, who were in the UK to attend the King's Coronation, and to meet with Bahamians studying and working in the UK as part of The Bahamas' 50th Independence Celebrations.