Female lawyer strengthens human resources at Department of Maritime Affairs

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS women continue to rule the roost in the academic arena of St. Kitts and Nevis, the nation has seen another daughter of the soil emerging to champion the cause of law and order.

This time however, it is a middle-age lawyer name Agatha James-Andries, who, on May 2, 2009, completed her Masters Degree in Maritime Law at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Maritime Law Institute in Malta.

With her recent success, James-Andries has not only become the second national to be certified in this field of the legal profession, but also an individual who will be of tremendous benefit to the local maritime sector in support of the safety and security as well as the protection of the  marine environment.

Speaking with SKNVibes, James-Andries informed that despite her age, she was never challenged during her course of study because God was on her side and she was armed with the knowledge of a Barrister-at-Law, which, coupled with her strong will and perseverance, had seen her winning one of the nine prizes awarded to graduates.

Being the oldest graduate among 37 students from 32 countries was a ‘feather’ in James-Andries’ cap and a woman that all juvenile mothers should emulate; for she had also delivered her first child at age 16.

During her studies at the Maritime Law Institute, James-Andries had twice topped her class – 93 percent in Labour Laws and 90 percent in Environmental Law. She also won the award for Best Graduating Student in Environmental Law.
She was called to the Bar in 2007, when Justice Francis Belle remarked that “She came to the Bar with a difference…her career is not only based on academics but also experience”.

James-Andries’ career dates back to her first job as a qualified Batik and Tie Dye artist trained by the Caribbean Batik. From there she joined the St. Kitts and Nevis Police Force and, as a recruit, was voted the Best Female in Drills and Runner-up to the course’s Best Graduating Student.

She worked there for a number of years and decided to dedicate her service to the Anguilla Police Force. While there, James-Andries worked her way up the promotional ladder and was elevated to the rank of Sergeant. She was appointed Officer-in-Charge of Traffic and the Prosecution Departments, and while in the latter Department she developed an interest in law.

James-Andries had successfully attended a number of courses while serving in the Anguilla Police Force, including Social Welfare Matters, with emphasis on Juveniles, in the United Kingdom and Domestic Violence in Barbados, where she placed first.
She however decided to return to St. Kitts in 1999 and was employed as a Senior Child Care and Probation Officer in the Social Department, where her interest in law was intensified. She then proceeded to Guyana where she attended that country’s university and successfully completed a Diploma in Sociology and Social Work and went on to Law.

At the University of Guyana, James-Andries completed a number of courses in family Law and gained an ‘A’-plus in Alternative Dispute Resolution under the tutelage renowned criminal lawyer Peter Britton. 

After graduating in her husband’s homeland, James-Andries attended the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and gained her Legal Education Certificate. She also successfully completed a number of extended courses in Family Law at the University of the West Indies.

The middle-age Barrister-at-Law told SKNVibes that after delivering her first child at that early age, she realised that mistakes could only be made by humans and decided to become “a living testimony to young people, especially those who are juvenile mothers. I pursued and never gave up on educating myself”.

James-Andries declared that her accomplishments could not have been possible without the support of a number of people and government agencies. She therefore extended heartfelt gratitude to  Maurice Williams of the Probation and Child Care Department for being the first person to sensitise her to the International Conventions and their use, which is the back bone to International Maritime Law, and also to Ian ‘Patches’ Liburd for his constant encouragement and support.

“I would also like to say thank you to the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis; special thanks to the Department of Maritime Affairs, in particular the Director of Maritime Affairs McClean Hobson, for nominating me to be trained in Maritime Law; and also to my family, friends and all those who wished me well and prayed for my continued success” she said. 

According to James-Andries, Hobson not only kept her abreast with what was taking place in the community during her tenure in Malta, but he was also an invaluable source of information regarding local and international maritime issues.

Commenting on her recent accomplishment, the Director of Maritime Affairs declared, “More than 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea and in order for St. Kitts and Nevis to get its full share of this trade, human resource development for the maritime sector will continue to be our focus. Agatha will now be part of the movement towards a sustainable maritime sector for the benefit of St. Kitts and Nevis.”

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF'S NOTE: Chief Magistrate Josephine Mallalieu-Webbe is the first national to have been certified in Maritime Law.