RESULT: Fined | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered February 12, 2020. || Guilty of Professional Misconduct | Disciplinary Committee decision delivered December 07, 2019.
FORMAL ORDER OF THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE
OF THE GENERAL LEGAL COUNCIL
COMPLAINT NO: 103/2016
IN THE MATTER OF CHARLES GANGA-SINGH and SOCRATES HYLTON an Attorney-at-Law
AND
IN THE MATTER OF THE LEGAL PROFESSION ACT, 1971
PANEL:
Mr. Jerome Lee
Ms. Marjorie Shaw
Ms. Anna Gracie
DECISION DELIVERED 12 FEBRUARY 2020
UPON THE APPLICATION made under section 12 (1) (a) of the Legal Profession Act and dated the 18th March 2016 and coming on for hearing before the Disciplinary Committee on the 19h January, 30h March, 1st June, 4th July, and 7th December 2019.
AND UPON the Complainant, Socrates Hylton, appearing and having given evidence on oath.
AND UPON the Respondent Attorney, Charles Ganga-Singh, appearing and having given evidence on oath.
AND UPON DUE CONSIDERATION of the sworn evidence of the Complainant and the Respondent Attorney.
AND UPON the Committee having found the Respondent Attorney, Charles Ganga-Singh, guilty of professional misconduct on the 7th December 2019.
AND UPON the Respondent Attorney having been given the opportunity to make submissions in mitigation of sanction on the 12th February 2020 at which time the Respondent Attorney’s Attorney, Mr. Bert Samuels, submitted that the proceedings were res judicata and upon the Panel having determined that the issue of res judicata did not arise, Mr. Samuels informed the Panel that he did not wish to address the Panel on the issue of sanctions.
THE COMMITTEE FINDS THAT:
The Respondent Attorney, Charles Ganga-Singh, is guilty of professional misconduct in that, he has breached Canon IV(r) Canon IV (s) and Canon 1 (b) of the Legal Profession (Canons of Professional Ethics) Rules which states as follows:
“An Attorney shall at all times maintain the honour and dignity of the profession and shall abstain from behavior which may tend to discredit the profession of which he is a member.”
“An Attorney shall deal with his client’s business with all due expedition and shall whenever reasonably so required by his client provide him with all information as to the progress of the client’s business with due expedition.”
“In the performance of his duty an attorney shall not act with inexcusable or deplorable negligence or neglect.”
PURSUANT TO THE FOREGOING FINDINGS THE COMMITTEE UNANIMOUSLY HEREBY ORDERS THAT: –
Pursuant to section 12 (4) (a) of the Legal Profession Act as amended:
- Respondent Attorney, Charles Ganga-Singh, is fined the sum of $75,000.00 of which $50,000.00 is to be paid to the Complainant and $25,000.00 to the General Legal Council.
- The sums to be paid on or by 31st March 2020 .
JEROME LEE
CHAIRMAN OF PANEL
Dated 12th February, 2020