Monsterrat to T&T: A look at former parliamentarian Herbert Volney

Former parliamentarian and minister of justice Herbert Volney, who passed away on December 7, 2022, might perhaps be most well-known for his involvement in the Section 34 imbroglio.

The former St Joseph MP had a long career within the judiciary and later branched into politics. 

According to a state bio, Volney was born in Monsterrat on June 8, 1953, to a St Lucian father and Dominican mother, the third of eight children.

Volney experienced life in several Caribbean islands having attended schools in Antigua, Barbados, St. Kitts and Dominica.

He then attended St Mary’s Academy in Dominica and qualified for admission to the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies.

After graduating in 1976 with a Bachelor of Law degree, Volney was admitted to the Hugh Wooding Law School and was called to the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago as a barrister in 1978.

In 1979, he was recruited by then-attorney general Selwyn Richardson to work in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions where he served for ten years.

Volney also worked in the law chambers of Karl Hudson-Phillips QC, a former attorney general of Trinidad and Tobago, until opening his own private law office in 1991.

In 1994, he was recruited by Chief Justice Clinton Bernard and appointed a judge of the Supreme Court.

By 2010, Volney has presided over 400 trials at the higher level and had worked extensively in the Port of Spain, San Fernando and Scarborough sittings of the Criminal Assizes.

Volney was also known for his involvement as a High Court Judge in a manslaughter case involving the death of Jason Johnson, who died after being struck in the head outside a nightclub in 1996.

The accused, Brad Boyce, was deemed not guilty after Volney ruled that evidence submitted by pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes was inadmissible in court. The jury was then directed to acquit Boyce.

It was later found that Volney was “wrong in law” in rejecting the evidence of Dr Des Vignes.

In 2010 Volney retired from the judiciary and entered as a candidate for the constituency of St Joseph in the 2010 general election, and was elected to the House of Representatives on Monday May 24, 2010 as a Member of the People's Partnership coalition.

He was appointed Minister of Justice on May 28, 2010.

In 2012, Volney made international news for his part in legislative amendments referred to as ‘Section 34’, which involved a clause in the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act, which set a 10-year limit for criminal cases.

The clause was later repealed and several cases filed under that piece of legislation were withdrawn.

The matter was linked to the US extradition of two Trinidadians, Ishwar Galbaransingh and Steve Ferguson, in relation to corruption charges connected to the construction of the Piarco International Airport.

In July 2013, Volney resigned from the UNC.

In 2017, Volney announced the launch of his own political party in an effort to create positive change.

Volney also expressed support for the People's National Movement (PNM) prior to the 2020 general election.

According to his state bio, Volney had a passion for justice and public affairs and had an avid interest in sports.