Former Attorney General (AG) of Guyana Bernard De Santos, SC, who passed away on Friday night at a city hospital following a prolonged illness, is being remembered as a heavyweight in the legal profession, who was instrumental in grooming some of today’s most prominent lawyers.
De Santos, who was 80, was appointed AG following the historic 1992 general elections and he served in the post until 1997, when he returned to private practice. He was well known for his expertise in criminal trials.
President David Granger extended condolences upon De Santos’ passing in a brief statement yesterday.
In a statement, the Bar Council of the Guyana Bar Association said the legal profession was mourning the loss of a stalwart.
It noted that De Santos was one of the leading Senior Counsel in the country and, although experienced and knowledgeable in every field of practice, his specialty was in the field of criminal law, and particularly in jury trials of the most serious offences.