LIVERPOOL Law Society have sent a delegation to Kenyan city Mombasa in the hope of becoming their twin city. Here, society president Anne Heseltine outlines the trip
We were approached by the International Division of the national Law Society at the instigation of the now Immediate Past President Andrew Holroyd who is a former President of LLS and a solicitor practising in Liverpool.
The Law Society Charity supports a number of projects around the world. It had previously supported the setting up of the Newcastle Law Society twinning project with the Rift Valley in Kenya, now in existence for about 10 years and running very successfully.
A policy decision was made to support projects in Mombasa. Andrew felt Liverpool would be ideal to twin because of the natural synergy both being major cities and substantial ports, and probably significant common heritage.
Liverpool Law Society has very much welcomed this initiative. We made contact with Newcastle LS and Huddersfield Law Society which has a twinning with Uganda, to see how they had started their projects and how they were set up.
They advised that there was no shortcut to going out to Mombasa to see how law firms operate there, what their structures are, to see how the legal system works on a daily basis and how LLS could help in exchange of information as to law society governance, training programmes and various practice management issues.
This is against the background of the work the lawyers do there. There is no legal aid (other than for murder) and the Mombasa Law Society (MLS) has been trying to institute a legal aid scheme particularly for children. In addition to this work, Mombasa firms provide the whole range of legal services, private and commercial, just like our own firms here.
Our delegates to Mombasa are the President, Anne Heseltine, the Vice President Charlie Jones and the Treasurer Jean Harkin.
We hope that we will be able to provide information and assistance to MLS which might assist them in their aims, and learn from them more about what they want to achieve.
Our itinerary when we are there includes visits to a children's home, the courts, borstal, prison, and member firms. We are also scheduled to meet with judges and the Lord Mayor.
It is a packed programme but armed with the knowledge and insight gained we hope that we will be able to put together some structure to the twinning project and put a more detailed proposal to LLS committee to approve so that we can formally enter into a twinning arrangement which will be of mutual benefit to Mombasa and Liverpool.
We have already extended an invitation to MLS for a return visit in November and we look forward to providing their three delegates with a similar packed itinerary to show them the work of LLS but also showing off our wonderful city in this Capital of Culture Year.
It is an exciting project for LLS and one which we hope is as successful as the Newcastle/Rift Valley and the Huddersfield/Uganda twinnings, which have proved to be beneficial not only to the Law Societies involved but also to the wider communities of those who need legal services.
Itinerary
October 4
12:00 Welcoming guests at Moi International Airport, Mombasa
12:30 Guests are accompanied to Nyali Beach Hotel
Guests to rest and spend the remainder of the day at the Hotel/alternatively, Guests to tour Mombasa town after checking in at the Hotel accompanied by few members.
October 5
09:30 Guests to accompany various members to their different churches for Sunday Service.
12:00 Guests to have Lunch at members homes after Church.
15:00 Visit to WEMA CENTRE CHILDREN'S HOME
16:00 Tea
18:00 Guests return to Hotel
October 6
8.30 Visit Mombasa Law Society Office
9:00 Courtesy call on the Mombasa High Court Resident Judge at his Chambers
9:30 Tour the Mombasa High Court
10:00 Tea
10:30 Attend court sessions at the various High Court and Magistrate's courts within the Mombasa High Court premises
12:00 Visit to Obhrai Law Library
12:30 Lunch at Mombasa Club
14:00 Visit the Tononoka Children's Court
15:00 Visit various members offices
16:00 Tea
19:00 Meeting with members of Mombasa Law Society at a dinner to be held at Nyali Beach Hotel
October 7
9:00 Courtesy call on the Officer in Charge of Central Police Station, Mombasa.
9:30 Visit Mombasa Borstal institute
10:30 Visit Shimo La Tewa Prison
12:30 Lunch
15:00 Tour the Port of Mombasa
16:30 Visit CLEAR offices
17:00 Tea
19:00 Dinner with council members of Mombasa Law Society to discuss the Twinning Program.
October 8
9:00 Visit Fort Jesus and Old court
10:30 Courtesy call on his Worship the Mayor of Mombasa at his Chambers
12:00 Lunch
14:00 Guests return to the hotel to check out
15:00 Guests are accompanied to Moi international Airport, Mombasa for a connecting flight to Nairobi.