An excellent letter last week, by the indefatigable Alan Pitt, long a sufferer of the fact that in Bahrain, the wheels of “justice” and decision-making often grind slowly.
Dr Joe is a fellow traveller, another who like the Flying Dutchman of legendary operatic fame, is destined to simply drift forever in the administrative sea of never finding “justice.”
Real problems, real people for whom the wheels of State and administration, seem to have stopped working.
Files somewhere at the bottom of the Too Hard basket, denying the resolution to problems which simply gnaw away, long after bureaucrats have gone home and are contentedly asleep, in their beds.
Yet, here are these mini Erin Brockovich characters, remember the law clerk who took on a major US corporation, won after a titanic struggle through the American legal system and is now an advocate for compensation action around the world, particularly on environmental issues.
Likewise, Pitt and Dr Joe’s admirable zeal to “never give up,” in the need for justice, by being a continual pebble in the shoe of state, hoping that their intrinsic belief in “the system” will one day prevail.
Allan Pitt’s proposal is a sensible one, to promote the idea of a class action, where a number of people want to mount an action on an issue that is identical for all.
The legal and administrative logjam, that has existed for years, in relation to the eyesore that has become Marina West.
Despite a high-level committee being involved, there has been no opening of dam and ensuring resolution of the issue.
Not only is it now a blot on the landscape, it is a blot on the investment image of Bahrain, a physical reminder of what happens when a lofty venture, gets into trouble, and there appears to be little chance of redress.
Loads of lawyers, all representing individuals, before various judges.
Think of the individual costs, add to that the enormous amount of time wastage for everyone involved, to say nothing on the cluttering of the court system with cases.
Perhaps a Class Action against the continuing “reign of terror” which is a almost nightly occurrence on streets and villages, and where the perpetrators, if caught, a plethora of lawyers to plead their “innocence.”
Witnesses often don’t turn up and the whole system has to wait while another attempt has to be made to hear the cases.
More costs, more time wastage, a bill for the bailiff – if such an official exists at all – to help enforce the law and the functions and judgement of the court system.
It is all well to crow about Bahrain’s independent judiciary, but it also must demonstrate its strength of purpose and efficiency.
A Class Action for the disruption, damage and simple harbouring of fear, that terrorist thugs create for society, would show the strength of the legal system, without sprouting yet more lawyers.
Some “channelling” of legal representation, would presumably, be welcomed.