The woman behind the chair

■ Carolyn Kissoon

carolyn.kissoon @trinidadexpress.com

AS the Commission of Enquiry into the Paria tragedy closed at the International Waterfront in Port of Spain, there was much sadness and despair over the lives lost that February day in 2021, in the pipe off Pointe-a-Pierre.

But there was one person in that room, celebrated for her diligence throughout the process that saw combative witnesses, angry attorneys, and weeping widows.

Sarah Sinanan, secretary to the Commission of Enquiry, sat behind commissioner Jerome Lynch, KC, throughout the public evidential hearing, overseeing it all. During the four months of live, televised testimony her face and demeanour remained a constant.

But very little was known about her until that final day, January 13, when, in his closing remarks, Lynch remarked: 'Above all, Sarah Sinanan, and I don't spare her blushes being significant, frankly magnificent in putting together this enquiry for us all. It simply would not have happened without her. I have to say she had no administrative skills that I know of, prior to joining us as a team. She has demonstrated an extraordinary ability to be able to find ways around all of the obstacles, some of which I have expressed previously, that have been placed in our path....I wish I can take her with me. She has been fantastic,' he said.

But prior to Lynch's glowing words, Sinanan was praised by each attorney who delivered closing statements at the Commission of Enquiry.

Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, lead attorney to the commission, said: '... and on behalf of the legal team assisting the commission I wish to express our gratitude to her,' he said.

Prakash Ramadhar, representing the families of two LMCS divers, said, 'Before I take my leave, your secretary Ms Sinanan... I can tell you my experience has been that there are persons who carry the burden of the State on their shoulders without any acknowledgement and Miss Sinanan has been one of those and I want to say your work, we are very deeply grateful for it.'

In an interview with the Express last week, Sinanan said it was teamwork and good leadership that contributed to the success of the Commission of Enquiry.

She told the Express about her appointment as secretary to the commission- a job description detailed in five lines-and about her experience in the legal profession.

In 2021, Sinanan joined the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs as senior legal counsel in the Attorney General's Secretariat after spending nine years in the litigation department at MG Daly & Partners and then three years at the HDC'sv Legal Department.

Sinanan said, 'I believe my time at MG Daly gave me a solid foundation. I entered the firm at 23 and with a mere three to four years' experience, I was instructing Mr Martin Daly, SC, in the CLICO Commission of Enquiry. The work ethic that I was praised for in this commission, I credit in large part to my MG Daly life. I left MG Daly at a time when I thought I needed to expand my horizons and to gain experience in areas to which I was not previously exposed and I was attracted to the position at the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs (AGLA) because I believed I would gain significant experience there.'

Of her appointment as secretary to the Paria Commission of Enquiry she said: 'There is no explicit job description... In fact, the Commissions of Enquiry Act explains the role of the secretary in five lines.' She said, there were concerns and fears of working with some of the most experienced legal professionals in the country. But after meeting the team, she said 'quickly a lot of my fears and concerns subsided'.

'Mr Maharaj, SC, has over 50 years' experience, a former attorney general and yet he was never condescending, was always easily accessible and a pleasure to work with, likewise was his legal team. I would never have been able to accomplish all that I did in such a short time and limited resources, without the unwavering support of the team: chairman Jerome Lynch, KC, commissioner Gregory Wilson, counsel to the commission, Mr Ramesh Maharaj, SC, his two juniors, Mr Ronnie Bissessar and Ms Vijaya Maharaj.' Her experience with Lynch, she said, was one she would never forget.

'He is a very downto- earth, kind person. He showed that it is quite possible to lead a group of persons from a place of respect. He exemplifies that. I do believe it was due to his leadership style that we were able to achieve all that we have done and in such a short space of time,' she said.

Sinanan singled out attorney Vijaya Maharaj, the only other female on the team. 'It was such a refreshing and inspiring experience. It reinforced the benefits of a positive work environment, where the long hours and sacrifices did not matter because there was a level of enjoyment and satisfaction in the work that was done. She reminded me that there are women who root for each other, uplift each other and support each other and I would have to say it was her work ethic that inspired and motivated me to give my all,' she said.

Challenges faced

Sinanan noted that there were several challenges in setting up the secretariat. She said, 'For four months prior to September 2022, I operated, without staff in an empty office with just my laptop and an Internet hotspot. I planned and put together a press conference in July 2022 and the procedural hearing in September 2022, under these circumstances. We were able to issue a substantial number of letters and received numerous submissions/documents in the months of July/ August 2022.' And with little resources, she said, the commission was able to get its website up and running in July 2022one of Sinanan's personal achievements.

'Without an IT officer at the time, I had to design and create a website, which I knew would be of utmost importance, given the nature of this commission. Keeping the public up to date was something I considered not just a priority but a necessity,' she said.

Sinanan said she was proud of the work done during those formative months, as despite not having support staff or an outfitted office, the team was able to make 'tremendous strides'.

'We had one goal, and everyone understood how to work towards that goal. I never for one minute felt that I didn't have the support of the legal team or that the objectives were impossible. I did it, even without resources,' she said.

The task was daunting at times, she said, immensely hard work, but 'I take great pride in my work and I always believe in letting your work speak for itself. At the end of the day, I think I was simply doing my job to the best of my ability.'

The subject matter of this commission was not an easy one. 'There were things I heard, saw, read that were difficult to deal with. We interacted with a plethora of witnesses and personalities, but I am lucky enough to have an amazing group of friends and family who were very supportive when I found myself working 24/7.'

Appreciation

Sinanan said she had crossed paths with some genuine, kind, supportive and helpful people who provided her with different types of support. 'It would be remiss of me not to try at least to thank some of these persons, Mr Ian King, general manager of SAPA, and his staff; Mr Noel Garcia, chairman of UDeCOTT; Ms Roxanne Fox from the Office of the Prime Minister, Ms Judith Gonzales, secretary to the Land Acquisition Commission, all the service providers, which assisted in ensuring the public hearings ran smoothly,' she said. The cooperation and patience of the attorneys, witnesses and people who appeared before the commission were greatly appreciated, she said. She thanked the secretariat's staff who 'went over and beyond, worked into the night with me, came into the office on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure things ran smoothly,' she said.

Advice to youth

Sinanan had some advice for those young persons working towards their goals. 'You are entitled to nothing, so work hard. At the end of the day, all you have is your name, so work hard. Be a decent human being. Always be teachable, but know your worth, no job is worth sacrificing your mental health. Do not let one bad manager/boss/ experience define you. The persons that matter will see qualities in you that you may not even see in yourself.'

Celebrating women

Sinanan said she hoped to see more women in leadership positions use those positions to inspire, motivate and empower other women.

'There is a very 'dark ages' mentality where persons believe you belong in the 'trenches' until they determine otherwise. Persons in leadership positions should revisit this approach, recognise that creating toxic work environments, belittling and speaking to persons under their management in a condensing manner simply creates an unproductive work environment. I would like to see our HR departments provide the requisite training to persons in leadership positions,' she said.

'If there is one lesson I have learned from this commission is that even with a lack of resources, much can be achieved and accomplished with proper leadership and with a positive work environment. People are willing to work hard, to go beyond their scope of work when they are treated with respect and in a dignified manner.'

A CONSTANT PRESENCE: Commission chairman Jerome Lynch gesticulates during a sitting on January 2. Seated behind him is commission secretary Sarah Sinanan. -Photo: JERMAINE CRUICKSHANK

CALM DEMEANOUR: Sarah Sinanan