The Bar Council of the Bar Association of Guyana has expressed its deep regret at the passing on July 10 of Ashton Chase OE, SC.
In a statement yesterday, it referred to Chase as the father of Labour and Industrial Relations Law in Guyana, and recalled the several hats he wore: politician, barrister-at-law, attorney-at-law, and prolific author.
The Senior Counsel who was born on 18 July 1926, read law at Gray’s Inn in England and was called to the Bar in 1957.
According to the release, his exploits in the field of law and industrial were many, with more than a few being ground-breaking.
As the first Minister of Labour, Industry and Commerce appointed in 1953 at just 28, after universal adult suffrage was granted by the Colonial Government, Chase was responsible for piloting legislation permitting the recognition of trade unions on the basis of a majority vote among employees. The Bill was one of the reasons the colonial government decided to suspend the Constitution in 1953.
This groundbreaking legislation was put on hold until 1997, bringing the freedom to choose their own representation to workers across Guyana.
Chase during his “long and distinguished career” as an attorney-at-law, wrote extensively on industrial relations, labour and employment law, publishing several books in the field, such as The Law of Workmen’s Compensation (1963), A History of Trade Unionism in Guyana (1966), Industrial Law (1974), Trade Union Law in the Caribbean (1976) and Industrial Relations (1981).
He appeared in dozens of cases which are now reported in the West Indian Reports, six of which were also reported in the Law Reports of the Commonwealth, and many more which are reported in the Law Reports of British Guiana and the Guyana Law Reports.
Among the notable cases in which Chase appeared during his career were Peter Persaud v. Pln Versailles (1970) in which the law of unjust enrichment was accepted twenty-one years before its acceptance in England; Albert Shanks v. Continental Biscuit Company (1977) the landmark case on wrongful dismissal coming out of Guyanese courts; Guyana Sugar Corporation v. Seeram Teemal (1983) on the inability of an employer to unilaterally vary the terms of a contract of employment; Sheik Mazahudin v. Guyana Sugar Corporation Ltd. (1984), another important case on the principles of wrongful dismissal; Ali v. Teaching Service Commission (1993) on the ineffectiveness of restrictions on the right to seek redress for breaches of constitutional rights; Attorney General v. Mohamed Alli (1989) where legislation was invalidated for unconstitutionality because the legitimate expectation of trade unions to be consulted before it was passed was not met; and Attorney General v. Caterpillar Americas (2000) on the application of the principle of eminent domain in Guyana.
He served as President of the Senate between 1961 and 1964 and had several stints as President of the Bar Association of Guyana with distinction in its most vibrant years in the 1980s and 1990s.
His service to the profession also encompassed the wider Caribbean as Chairman of the Council of Legal Education (CLE), the governing body of the law schools in the Caribbean from 1992 to 1998. Chase has the distinct honour of being the only Guyanese to so serve as Chairman of the CLE. In 1985, for his distinguished service in the law, he was, deservingly appointed Senior Counsel, it said.
“The Bar Council expresses its deepest condolences to his wife, Deborah Chase, and to his children, Dr Ronald Chase, Serita Chase, and former President of the Bar Association, Pauline Chase,” the release added.
Meanwhile the Berbice Bar Association said: “The members of the Berbice Bar Association wish to express sincere sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the wife and other family members of the late Mr. Ashton Chase, O.E., S.C. who passed away on Monday July 10, 2023.
“Beginning at a very youthful age Mr. Ashton Chase has given valuable yeoman-like service to our country and his contribution to politics, labour, and the law in Guyana is matched by efforts of only a few sons and daughters of the soil. We pray that his soul rests in eternal peace.”
