Caribbean jurisprudence has lost an outstanding legal mind. He was a respected, eminent jurist; almost all of his judgments were upheld by the Privy Council. There are/were few of his ilk who stood up to injustice. He did not kowtow to anyone and he did not allow himself to be bullied. Regrettably, he was a victim of the politics of race and bigotry in the impeachment charges filed against him and for not being considered as President by the UNC or PNM administrations.
Judge Sat Sharma was a very humble man of incorruptible honesty and integrity. He went on to become Chief Justice. He was suspended. He was wrongly accused of supporting opposition politicians and impeachment charges were filed against. He was unfairly maligned by the Patrick Manning Administration. The charges were more race and political affiliated than having to do with perverting the court. He was subsequently investigated and cleared of wrong doing.
He was a very popular judge and justice to him was never served, not even by the Kamla Persad Bissessar administration that toppled Manning from office. I remember polls I conducted giving him astronomically high favorability and likability ratings. He was the overwhelming preferred choice for President to succeed Max Richards during the Kamla Administration. But UNC government officials told this writer they could not choose him because there should not be an Indian PM and an Indian President; other parties have no issues with a President and PM of the same ethnicity. So Sharma was by-passed, a victim of ethnic appeasement politics by the UNC. And off course, UNC lost office over its appeasement politics which does not help political parties. Sharma was also a leading candidate in a poll for President during the current PNM administrations, but he was by-passed, a victim of politics.
President Paula-Mae Weekes described Sharma as “a wise, compassionate, fair and empathetic man which qualities were often reflected in his erudite judgments. From judge to janitor it was apparent that Mr. Justice Sharma cared deeply for all in his charge.”
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi said Sharma led a “distinguished life of service to the people of TT in multiple capacities of existence from lawyer to chief justice. Sharma “gave his all for the peace, order and good governance of our country. TT stands darker in the absence of his light.”
