New BBA President Elected

Ruth Bowe-Darville, the managing partner at Commonwealth Law Advocates, beat out attorney Cheryl Bazard of Cheryl E. Bazard Law Chambers by more than 50 votes to secure the top post.

In an interview with the Bahama Journal on Sunday, the newly elected president said she will focus on improving the professional and public image of the association and perform a form of "reconstruction" on the Bar Association.

Kathy Johnson-Hassan was elected Vice President, Sidney Cambridge, was elected Treasurer and Rachel Culmer was elected Honorary Secretary.

Monique Gomez, Dwayne Gibson and Tara Archer were also elected executive council members.

Mr. Munroe served as the BBA president for three consecutive terms, or six years, and was extremely vocal on several issues impacting the judiciary and the bar association, such as the maintenance of court buildings, the death penalty and the lack of legislated sentencing guidelines among others.

The new president lauded her predecessor for his success over the years.

"He was a very good president. He was very active and gave the association all the energy that he could," Mrs. Bowe-Darville said. "He had a record of outstanding leadership and I was pleased to serve as the vice president under him for those years."

Mrs. Bowe-Darville was admitted to the Bahamas Bar in May 1985 and has worked in various law firms, including Bostwick & Bostwick and Graham Thompson & Company.

She has also served as an Acting Stipendiary and Circuit Magistrate from August to September 1991, August to September 1993, December 1993, September 1998 to March 1999 and August 2005.

Mrs. Bowe-Darville also served as the senior executive assistant to the Prime Minister from 1994 to 1998.

There are a little over 900 attorneys that are registered members of the BBA.

Her work begins immediately.

She has a scheduled meeting with her new board today, including Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall, Attorney General Michael Barnett and Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.