……Former TT cricketer leaves Judiciary after 29 years
By FRANCIS JOSEPH
Tuesday was the final innings for Justice Prakash Moosai on the Bench of Trinidad and Tobago.
A special sitting was held at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, for Moosai, former Trinidad and Tobago left-handed batsman, lawyer, and judge for about 29 years.
Tributes were delivered by Chief Justice Ronnie Boodoosingh, Justice Mira Dean-Armorer, Attorney General John Jeremie SC, Alvin Fitzpatrick SC, Frederick Gilkes, vice-president of the Law Association, before Justice Moosai responded.
What can you say about Justice Moosai, whose first love was cricket….then came the law?
While at St Mary’s College, Moosai always wanted to be a lawyer. He was the captain of the college team, then went on in 1974 and 1975 to represent the Trinidad and Tobago Under 19 cricket team.
In 1981, Moosai was admitted to the Bar and the following year, was selected on the Trinidad and Tobago Senior Cricket team. After his selection, I interviewed him for the Sunday Guardian – “The Cricketer turned Lawyer.” We became friends after that.
Moosai spent 16 years in private practice before he was appointed a Judge on March 1, 1998. As a court reporter, I kept in touch with Moosai, especially when he sat on the Bench in the criminal arena.
Then came the climax of our friendship in 2008 when we were opposing teams in the Brian Davis Cricket Festival at the Queen’s Park Oval. After that match, Moosai invited me to join the Trinidad and Tobago Lawyers’ Cricket Team. Weeks later, I joined Moosai and other lawyers to face Barbados lawyers at the National Cricket Centre, Couva.
Up to that point, the local lawyers had never beaten their Barbados counterparts. It was so ironic I joined Moosai at the crease to bring home the match. Next thing I knew, I was on the West Indies Lawyers A and B teams for the Lawyers Cricket World Cup in Cambridge, England in 2009.
His elevation to the Court of Appeal, along with a nagging knee injury, brought a sorry end to his cricketing career. But the support remained.
At his tribute, Moosai said serving on the Bench “was one of my greatest privileges of my life.” He added, “I always wanted to be a lawyer. And my favourite was Perry Mason, especially when he was able to get a confession out of a witness.” Throughout his career on the Bench, it is said Moosai authored more than 400 judgments.
Also in attendance were Speaker of the House of Representative, Jagdeo Singh, members of the legal profession, retired judges, and friends.
Moosai may be leaving the Bench at age 70, but I am sure I would see him on a Saturday morning by George Doubles on Carlos Street, Woodbrook.
Happy retirement Judge!
