A PROMINENT Senior Counsel believes there is urgent need to revisit the process by which silk is awarded.

Israel Khan said on June 15, “The Prime Minister, the executive parts of government, should not be recommending silk to the President."

“That is supposed to be the Chief Justice and members of the Law Association of TT. They should form a committee and do something,” he told Newsday.

“But you see we are going back to 400 years when it was the queen’s prerogative to grant all rights to her citizens.”

Khan was reacting to the news that Minister of Energy and Energy Industries and Port of Spain North/St Ann’s West MP Stuart Young – is among the list of attorneys to be conferred silk during a function at President’s House, St Ann’s, on June 17.

Dr Rowley made the disclosure in the House of Representatives on June 14 while chastising the Opposition for its refusal to support whistleblower protection during debate on the Whistleblower Bill 2022.

There is speculation that Minister of Rural Development and Local Government and San Fernando West MP Faris Al-Rawi is also among those to be awarded silk.

Other names said to be on the list are former justice minister Christlyn Moore, senior attorney Prakash Deonarine and Chief Public Defender Hasine Shaikh.

Shaikh, who is in her 30s, is among the youngest lawyers ever to be awarded silk. She was hired on March 2, 2020, as the first chief public defender in the Public Defender’s Office.

Martin Daly was awarded silk at 35.

Khan, who is the head of the Criminal Bar Association, said he has not seen the official list but believes Young is a good choice.

“Young deserves silk because of his work in the construction industry, when they had the Uff Commission. He appeared there and quietly he has been doing work.”

The Uff Commission of Enquiry, which was held more than a decade ago, probed corruption and practices in the public construction sector and at Udecott.

Realistically, though, Khan said he could not vouch for civil attorneys, only criminal lawyers.

“I think based on his merit, ability and integrity, he (Young) deserves it.”

But he predicted there might be some objection to Young’s appointment.

“Unfortunately, he is in the political gayelle. But I think he will get silk.”

Khan said he heard about a few names on the list.

“We are only hearing but nobody has seen the list. We have to get it from the gazette and nothing on the gazette yet. They might publish the gazette on Monday morning.”

Asked if he feels there will be some backlash to two sitting Cabinet members being conferred silk, Khan said the Opposition may have its concerns.

“But the electorate is more concerned with safety and security. People are concerned about crime now, more than even bread-and-butter issues.”

Last year, Rowley was forced to defend the government’s decision to award silk to President Christine Kangaloo’s husband Kerwyn Garcia and her brother, Colin Kangaloo, saying their appointments had nothing to do with their familial relationship with the Head of St