Lightbourne

WESTERN BUREAU:

Bar association presidents are to have monthly meetings with Minister of Justice Dorothy Lightbourne, Montego Bay attorney Clayton Morgan told The Gleaner, yesterday.

Morgan, the president of the Cornwall Bar said this was one of the agreements reached during yesterday's meeting among four Bar association heads and the minister at the Justice Ministry in St Andrew.

Hustling

The meeting which was planned more than three weeks ago, comes only days after Marlene Malahoo Forte, the president of the Resident Magistrates' Association, claimed that some lawyers had relegated the legal profession to "a hustling".

Her statement resulted in a stand-off with some lawyers.

Southern Bar Association president, Donna Scott-Mottley had told The Gleaner that the controversy between Malahoo Forte and the lawyers would be raised during yesterday's meeting.

However, Morgan said he was not so informed. "The fact that the meeting coincides with Mrs Malahoo Forte's unfortunate statements is just that - a coincidence," he said.