28/05/2024
Esteemed Colleagues: A greeting of pride and honour...
By the Manifesto of Reform and Prosperity and the desire of advocates to have a stable Bar that represents their diverse voices, we present the manifesto and our vision for forming a new and modern Bar. As we present this letter, we hope the electoral process will reflect our democratic practices and free expression.
Honourable colleagues:
After our country's independence, it was hoped that the Bar Association would contribute to establishing and building a state of law, representing the voices of advocates to enhance active community participation and reform the democratic process. This starts with restoring the Bar's leading role and working according to advanced methods and modern systems.
We assure you that the vision of reform and prosperity comprises three main parts: comprehensive legal reform, the activation of laws and regulations, and achieving a social and economic renaissance for legal professionals.
The dreams and aspirations of advocates remain our guide and compass toward building an institutional Bar that seeks to create a reality where we all see ourselves, recognizing the fundamentals of balanced construction and reform, reflecting the project of independence, inspired by historical struggle, and honouring the sacrifices of martyrs with their dream of building a new South Sudan that lives up to those great sacrifices by establishing a state of law.
Thus, it was necessary to initiate a project to turn the advocates' dreams into practical plans that lead to tangible reality, heralding the expression of our aspirations for justice, democracy, peace, and building a state of law. This can only be achieved through further sacrifices and selflessness to reach our goal of establishing the Bar Association in South Sudan, as a democratic model we all take pride in after our country's independence.
Our reform and prosperity programs are based on working towards unity of purpose and vision to reach the desired goal for a promising future for an effective Bar. It aims to instil concepts of managing differences to create a democratic reality within the anticipated Bar, and thus, our slogan is professionalism and teamwork.
Firm Advocates:
We propose specialized scientific visions for the issues of organizational reform of the Bar that contribute to the potential for the development and expression of institutional reform and transparency, and the sustainability of human rights through fundamental reforms in laws and procedures, and the actual establishment of a professional and professional Bar. This includes:
- Operating a Bar with a permanent headquarters and a dedicated executive team to serve the Bar's members and achieve its goals. The reform and prosperity initiative takes steps towards realizing part of its dreams by providing a ready office for the Bar, which will be at the disposal of the incoming president from the candidates.
- We also aim to organize and monitor the legal profession by amending its law to reduce creative chaos.
- Reviewing and updating professional conduct rules, and reforming and renewing the management and mechanisms of complaints and disciplinary boards.
The priority remains to develop and enhance the human resources of advocates to meet their basic and service needs and build effective partnerships. This includes developing emerging competencies in the field of law, establishing an institute to enhance legal education, providing training and qualification programs, offering practical training programs for trainees, and contributing to the review of legal curricula taught at universities to keep pace with globalization. All these proposed programs rely on innovation, skill development, and modern methodologies.
We in the Reform and Prosperity team are determined to elevate the advocates and provide all the support they deserve as advocates, akin to their counterparts in neighbouring countries, such as providing health insurance to Bar members as part of their entitlements. We have made significant progress in this regard, with offers from some insurance companies and banks, which we are currently studying to choose the best among them if we win the SSBA Elections. Another package includes establishing an advocates' welfare institution and charitable funds and introducing a mandatory program for financing advocates as part of law office management. The final package involves business management education, strategic planning, and providing job opportunities in various state institutions.
We are committed to upholding the rule of law, and good governance, and building institutions that respect diversity and plurality. These are the foundations of building the state, its renaissance, and achieving lasting peace and stability by enhancing the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms advocated by international treaties and conventions, aligning with constitutional reforms, ensuring the independence of the judiciary, and fostering cooperation and social fabric through legal aid and education to resolve disputes and achieve a comprehensive peace.
We work on building and developing the Bar's relationships with its regional and international surroundings by applying for membership in the African Bar Association, and the International Bar Association, among other organizations. We aim to attract support from donors to implement the Bar's objectives and projects.
In conclusion:
We shall operate under an open-door policy, listening to all opinions and suggestions from the legal community, and creating clear communication channels between stakeholders and Bar’s leadership. We are fully prepared for accountability and responsibility for implementing the proposed programs.
With this, I commit to leveraging my extensive and distinguished local and international relationships to achieve the Bar's objectives and to implement the goals of the general assembly should we win the SSBA elections.
"Alone we can do little, together we can do much through combined efforts and diligent work. Let us unite to reach the shore of safety."
Ladies and gentlemen, members of the general assembly, in our earnest pursuit to build an SSBA we all dream of, we urge you all to vote for any of the camps as an expression of your freedom and to choose whoever you see fit.
Finally, and not least... May you always be our pride and honour, and may we remain a shield and protection with loyalty and belonging? We owe you the utmost respect.
Adv. Reech Ring Bol
Presidential Candidate for South Sudan Bar Association (SSBA).
