{"id":254109,"date":"2020-08-13T23:01:24","date_gmt":"2020-08-14T03:01:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/?p=254109"},"modified":"2020-08-15T16:11:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-15T20:11:30","slug":"dominica-bar-association-rejects-governments-decision-to-reduce-solicitors-fees","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/homepage\/homepage-carousel\/dominica-bar-association-rejects-governments-decision-to-reduce-solicitors-fees\/","title":{"rendered":"Dominica Bar Association rejects government’s decision to reduce solicitor’s fees"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DBA President, Heather Felix-Evans<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Dominica Bar Association (DBA) has rejected, unreservedly, what it describes as a “unilateral alteration” of its fees by the Government, without prior consultation.<\/p>\n

The DBA’s position is contained in a letter which it has written to Prime Minister and Minister of\u00a0 Finance, Roosevelt Skerrit, expressing disappointment and shock on learning of the government’s intention “to reduce statutorily prescribed solicitor’s fees without first consulting with the DBA or other members of the Dominica bar, all of whom stand to be significantly impacted thereby.”<\/p>\n

The DBA says it became aware on July 28, during the prime minister’s budget presentation, of the government’s intention to reduce with effect from 1st September 2020, the solicitor’s rates for land transfers by 50% along with the pronouncement of a reduction of a 47% reduction in the government’s fees\/taxes for such land transfers.<\/p>\n

“Such a failure to consult robs the members of the DBA, and solicitors practising in Dominica on a whole, of the opportunity to gain an understanding of the rationale for the proposal and to consider and to offer options for the consideration of the government,” the Association states in its letter signed by its president, Heather Felix-Evans.<\/p>\n

It argues that this also robs the government of the opportunity of hearing and considering other divergent views and suggestions that could assist in it realizing the true cost and benefit of this measure.<\/p>\n

The DBA describes the government’s decision as “indicative of a total disregard for the Bar and a complete lack of appreciation for the important role that the legal practitioner plays in empowering citizens as registered landowners.”<\/p>\n

The Association also believes that the action is misguided and unjustified.<\/p>\n

However, it is of the view that there is still time for the Government and the DBA Executive to have meaningful discussion on the matter and to reach a resolution “that is fair to all constituents.”<\/p>\n

The association has requested a meeting with the Government within the next seven days “to address and hopefully satisfactorily resolve this most pressing matter.”<\/p>\n

The full DBA letter to Prime Minister Skerrit is posted below.<\/p>\n