Eleven interns from bpTT were inspired to fulfill their potential as citizens and future leaders following their visit with Chief Justice Ivor Archie, at the Hall of Justice in Port-of-Spain recently.
Guided by bpTT's community sustainability and stakeholder relations adviser Joel Primus and resourcing adviser Sonya Le Maitre, the interns were afforded a tour of the Hall of Justice by Kieron Blackman, court communication officer at the Judiciary of T&T. Blackman explained the significance of historical items housed in the atrium display in addition to showing them the layout of a criminal courtroom, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, a release said.
Following the tour, the group met with the Chief Justice and Justice Maria Wilson, both of whom gave accounts of their careers and fielded a number of questions from the interns. The judges recounted the incidents that inspired them, challenges they had faced as students, highlights of memorable cases and changes they wished to see in the administration of justice.
It was an especially illuminating experience for Kavita Deochan, who is going into her second year of studies at Hugh Wooding Law School. "This visit was very fruitful and I really appreciate that beyond law, the Chief Justice and Justice Wilson spoke to us about analytical thinking skills, individualism and life in general. Today really typifies my experience as an intern at bpTT. Working in their legal department is amazing in terms of gaining an understanding of oil and gas law and interacting with the brilliant staff there. I could not ask for a better platform than this internship to step up and go forward in my journey toward becoming a productive citizen of T&T."
Ronda Francis, corporate responsibility manager, bpTT, gave insight into their internship programme: "Beyond the technical skills, these young people will gain through their experiences within the different departments at bpTT. We are also seeking to facilitate their all-round development as conscientious citizens. This visit and discussion with the Chief Justice seeks to engender a sense of national leadership in these young people and realisation of their role as the future leaders of our country."
At the end of the visit, Chief Justice Archie sought to motivate the interns: "I see that sharing the benefit of the lessons I learnt in my life is as important as any duty I shoulder in the role of Chief Justice, and so interacting with you today was a privilege. The mere fact that you all are in tertiary education means that you represent a small proportion of the global population. As such, you need to recognise that any one of you can influence things on a global scale. I urge you to get a sense of your importance and responsibility in realising your full potential and making your country, and the world, a better place."
Justice Wilson also added her words of encouragement, "Always ask yourself why you are here and what is your purpose in life. As young and upcoming professionals, you need to create a consciousness about your role in society and make a lasting contribution to its development."
BpTT's internship programme enrolls the brightest T&T students who are entering their final year of studies at university. This year's intake represents a diverse range of academic disciplines including education, electrical and computer engineering, accounting, pharmacology, law and agriculture. The interns are split between the company's Port-of-Spain head office and the bpTT Mayaro Resource Centre.