Legal Fraternity Mourns Loss of Edmund Pennil

Belize’s legal fraternity is mourning the loss of one of its most respected and knowledgeable figures. Edmund Oliver Pennil, who dedicated more than six decades of service to the judiciary, passed away on Saturday. Widely regarded as a living encyclopedia of Belize’s court system, Pennil was known for his deep understanding of legal procedures and his willingness to assist generations of attorneys and judges. Attorney Orson Elrington says Pennil’s passing leaves a tremendous void within the country’s legal community.

 

Orson “OJ” Elrington, Attorney at Law

“Mr. Pennil is a legendary figure in Belize’s judiciary. He is a man who many refer to him as the human Google. Meaning any question that you had, that you needed, needed to be answered in regards to procedures within the legal system, he had the answer to it. Without referring to any book, any paper, without anything, just by his sheer wealth of knowledge and experience and the ability to retain information. So he was somebody who many persons, including myself, relied on whenever we had questions insofar as what were procedures that needed to be employed within the legal system. I think that that type of lifelong dedication to public service is not something that many people ever did, and worse, in this environment of what we call immediate gratification, that is not something that I think will ever be matched in Belizean society and most certainly not in the judiciary like that Absolutely always helpful, always willing to share information, and for that I am, I personally am eternally grateful and I know each and every legal practitioner shares that experience with him as well.”

 

The Government of Belize issued a release saying Pennil’s “passing is a significant loss to the nation and he will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

Watch the full newscast here: