One of life’s greatest joys is to learn something new or to see something you already knew through fresh eyes. This was, along with the pure pleasure of his friendship, the gift that Anderson “Rogie” Kinch gave to all of us.
Rogie, as we all knew him, was part of a small, multidisciplinary team that was entrusted by then Prime Minister, Owen Arthur, with sorting out Barbados’ maritime boundary and fisheries issues with Trinidad and Tobago in the mid-2000s. As you would expect, the group – led at the time by the late Sir Harold St. John – included lawyers and diplomats, experts in the law of the sea and in hydrography. It also included Rogie and another dear friend, Angela Watson who, sadly, left us in 2019.
In that setting, Rogie spoke with the authority of his own expertise, at times using humour and practical experience to provide emphasis, always adding value in his unpretentious way. This was the expertise of a lifelong fisherman, a lover of the sea, a knower of fish and their ways, a pillar of the community that has fed our nation for generations.
He had the talent to see how the realities of fisherfolk’s daily life intersected with the abstract theories of international law and diplomacy. Rogie and Angela were selected by then Attorney General Mia Mottley to help the rest of us in the team understand those daily realities of the Barbadian fishing community. Through us, Rogie and Angela enabled the eminent judges on the arbitral tribunal to see those realities and how international law is, by safeguarding our rights and clarifying our responsibilities, at the service of our community.
With the assistance of Rogie’s insights, Barbados obtained a good result from the arbitration, which settled the boundary dispute with Trinidad and Tobago and laid the framework for a fishing accord. Thanks to that arbitration, Barbados has gone on to settle almost all of its maritime boundaries with its neighbours and has established an Exclusive Economic Zone of some seventy thousand square miles. Our fishermen, subject to measures to ensure sustainability, are free to fish in this vast area. This is part of Rogie’s legacy.
As often happens, after an intense period such as those years of negotiations and the arbitration hearing in London, in which both Rogie and Angela participated and that led to the now definitive maritime boundary between Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago 17 years ago, the members of Barbados’ team moved on following different paths.
But Rogie kept the spirit of that group alive. We saw him from time to time – just a few months ago we were fortunate to have a group dinner in Barbados. Although he was not in prime form, his wit, humour and intelligence were as keen as ever. As he often did, Rogie led us in reminiscences about the arbitration case and the hearing.
Robert Volterra has kindly shared a few quotes from his email correspondence with Rogie which perfectly encapsulate the man.
Referring to the arbitration, Rogie said that:
“[Being part of the case] made me feel like I did something to help the future Barbados, the younger people and the fishermen. I was proud.
For me, it was all about the friendships. Everyone on the team was equal and all working for the same thing. I cherish the memories of the people.”
This value for friendships and the unifying force that he himself was, also forms huge part of Rogie’s legacy. And, with his usual candour and emphasis on getting on with things, he said: “There is lots of unfinished business still to be attended, for instance the fishing agreement with Trinidad & Tobago.”
Rogie loved the sea and was a fisherman through and through. And for those who knew him well, he was also one of the wisest of philosophers. We would like to think of him out on his boat, just past the horizon, watching over the deep blue sea with that familiar big smile on his face that came from an even bigger heart.
May he rest in peace.
Tribute from: The Hon. Mia A. Mottley, SC, MP; Sir Henry Forde; Robert Volterra; Teresa Marshall; Adrian Cummins; David Berry; François Jackman; Christopher Parker; Tyronne Brathwaite
Barbados’ maritime boundaries team was led in the mid 2000’s by Mia Mottley, who was Attorney-General and acted as Agent in the arbitral proceedings with Trinidad and Tobago which resulted in an award in 2006.
Sir Henry Forde was Counsel and Advocate during those proceedings.
Robert Volterra, a Canadian attorney, was co-Agent.
Teresa Marshall was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where François Jackman and Tyronne Brathwaite were Foreign Service Officers.
Adrian Cummins and David Berry were Counsel during the proceedings.
Angela Watson was the other representative of the fishing community in the team.