The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

If Oscars were given for a job well done, without hesitation I would nominate Jomo Campbell.

A few weeks ago, I was standing in line to place an order at a fast-food restaurant and could not help tuning in to a conversation being held by several young men who were waiting to be served.

The topic of their conversation was young lawyers.

What I garnered from this conversation, all of those youths have had minor issues with the law, and they were discussing lawyers. Based on the conversation gist, Jomo Campbell was one of the best young lawyers today.

According to the young men, he not only represented them in court but followed up by calling and counseling them, making sure they were doing the right thing. If you were a young person that needed a lawyer, he was the man to see.

Peculiarly just a few weeks before that day, I had to satisfy a traffic infraction ticket (I got caught not wearing my seat belt - shame on me ).

While standing around, I observed some people having a similar discussion.

And you guessed right. Jomo was the topic of the conversation.

Based on both conversations, my interest was piqued, and I had to find out more about him.

So the very next day, I went to the courts on Nassau Street and inquired from several persons that work there about Mr Jomo Campbell.

To no surprise, everyone I spoke with had great things to say about him and encouraged me that if I was looking for a lawyer, Jomo was the way to go. According to them and what I gleaned from these conversations, Jomo is the young people’s champion. He fights tenaciously for them in court, ensuring they are more than adequately represented, at a very modest fee.

To hear these people talk, you would think he is the best lawyer in the world.

I later made it my business to talk with him and found out that Johnny Moon and Sammy Archer, who have been my friends for years, are his uncles and could not help but think that he is from good people.

So who he is and what he does is not by chance. It is in his genes.

But what blew me away is to see and talk with him one would not think he is the hotshot lawyer he is.

He is one of the most unassuming, mannerly, and respectful young men I have ever had the good fortune of meeting. And I thought to myself a Chief Justice on the horizon.

Nowadays, when more and more misguided youths are sidetracked and caught up on the wrong side of the law, it is good to know that many young lawyers go far beyond their commitment by keeping them from prison or having a criminal record.

This is especially so with our kids studying abroad, where marijuana laws are more liberal than in The Bahamas.

Unfortunately, a few law enforcement officers treat some of these youngsters like hardened criminals. Placing them before the courts and charging them with intent to supply even though they have less than an ounce of grass and as little as $20 in their pockets.

We are not saying the offenders should be let off scot free. Possession yes, but the intent to supply for having less than an ounce of reefer in a foil paper. My God! The police know who the real criminals are and should not discriminate against the students by placing them in the same category.

Thankfully the magistrates are more discerning and considerate when dealing with our youths.

God bless you, Mr Campbell.

I am not a seer, but my intuition tells me that a QC. at a very young age is in the making.

ANTHONY PRATT

Nassau,

January 19, 2021.