Guyana has lost a true legal luminary

Dear Editor,
The passing of Professor Peter Britton is, undoubtedly, a severe blow to the legal profession and more particularly, the field of Criminal Law.
I met Senior Counsel Britton in 2000 at the University of Guyana (UG), he was one of those people whose work, name and reputation precedes them. So, I was aware of his outstanding work in the Legal Profession long before I actually met him.
I remember my first Criminal Law class with Professor Britton, who asserted, then, that “the law is not stupid”, I believe it was this comment he made that paved the way for him imploring upon his students to look deep into cases for clues to help the client’s case.
He was very rigorous, and unrestraint in offering a comment which he believes will help in making you a better student.
To some he might have seemed harsh but I believe it was his natural desire to bring the best out of his students that pushed him to demand that we be more acutely analytical and look beyond the lexical meaning of words to derive motives, and intent, as he would say.
Professor Britton was thorough, intense and practical in executing his duties as a tutor in the Law Department, however, in the midst of his thoroughness he found the opportune moment to inject some humour in his classroom.
The University of Guyana and the student population in the law department have lost a true scholar, distinguished professor and concerned tutor. His departure signals the loss of a devoted legal luminary whose intuition, and “inquisitiveness” knew no boundary.
I am sincerely humbled and fortunate to have had the pleasure to be tutored by Professor Peter Britton. His passing has certainly created a grave void in the judicial system, and the country, as a whole.
My sincere condolences to his family, may you find comfort in the fond memories of him and the assurance that God is still in charge.
May his soul rest in peace
Lurlene Nestor