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Former Attorney General Delano Bart KC takes top post; former Bar President Dahlia Joseph-Rowe elected First Vice President at 19th OECS Bar Conference in Grenada

GRENADA, October 26, 2025 — The twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis took center stage at the 19th OECS Bar Association Regional Law Conference in Grenada tonight, as two of its most accomplished legal minds ascended to the top of the regional legal fraternity.

Delano Frank Bart KC, a former Attorney General, Minister of Justice, and United Nations Ambassador for St. Kitts and Nevis, was elected President of the OECS Bar Association, while Dahlia Joseph-Rowe, a distinguished attorney and former President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Bar Association, was elected First Vice President.

The elections capped an inspiring and forward-looking conference themed “Legal Transformation: Adapting, Navigating and Building the Future,” bringing together jurists, attorneys, policymakers, and legal scholars from across the Eastern Caribbean.

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Delano Bart KC: Seasoned Statesman and Legal Visionary

Delano Bart KC’s election represents a defining moment for the OECS Bar and the broader Caribbean legal community. A veteran statesman, diplomat, and barrister, Bart brings decades of experience in law, governance, and international affairs to his new role.

Educated at the Basseterre Senior School, Matthew Boulton College (Birmingham), Queen Mary College, University of London, and the Inns of Court School of Law, Bart holds both an LL.B (Hons) and a Barrister’s Certificate. He is admitted to practice in England and Wales, and across multiple Caribbean jurisdictions including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Kitts and Nevis.

With nearly two decades at the English Bar in London and extensive service in the Federal Parliament and Cabinet of St. Kitts and Nevis, Bart also served nearly a decade as the Federation’s Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations in New York. His record includes leadership roles on the OECS and CARICOM Legal Affairs Committees, the Council of Legal Education, and the Commission of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Bart’s election as President signals a renewed push toward regional judicial harmonization, digital transformation, and cross-border professional development, key priorities discussed during the conference.

“Legal transformation requires bold, ethical leadership — leadership grounded in experience, vision, and unity,” one regional delegate commented. “Delano Bart embodies all three.”

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Dahlia Joseph-Rowe: Trailblazer and Bridge-Builder

Also recognized for her stellar contributions to the Federation’s legal landscape, Dahlia Joseph-Rowe was elected First Vice President of the OECS Bar Association, further cementing St. Kitts and Nevis’ influence in regional legal affairs.

A Grenadian national and 1998 Island Scholar, Joseph-Rowe is widely respected across the OECS for her professionalism, advocacy, and mentorship. After earning her Bachelor of Laws degree (Upper Second Class Honors) from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, she went on to obtain her Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad in 2005. She later completed a Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of London.

After a decade-long tenure as a partner at one of the largest law firms in St. Kitts and Nevis, she founded her own practice — Joseph Rowe Law — on Nevis, where she continues to play a leading role in commercial, civil, and constitutional litigation.

As former President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Bar Association, Joseph-Rowe championed transparency, continuing legal education, and youth empowerment in the profession. Her election to the OECS Bar’s executive marks not only a personal milestone but also a historic moment for women in regional leadership.

“Dahlia Joseph-Rowe’s election is a powerful statement about the growing role of women in shaping Caribbean justice,” said one senior attorney from Dominica. “Her intellect, balance, and professionalism command respect across the region.”

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Grenada Conference: A Turning Point for Regional Legal Transformation

The 19th OECS Bar Conference, hosted in Grenada under the theme “Legal Transformation: Adapting, Navigating and Building the Future,” has been hailed as a resounding success. The opening ceremony set a reflective yet ambitious tone, emphasizing collaboration among OECS jurisdictions to modernize legal systems, embrace technology, and strengthen regional institutions.

Delegates from across the OECS — including judges of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, senior attorneys, law professors, and government legal advisers — engaged in panels on judicial reform, artificial intelligence in legal practice, the Caribbean Court of Justice, and access to justice in small states.

Bart and Joseph-Rowe’s leadership election symbolizes the OECS Bar’s forward march into a new era — one that values experience and innovation in equal measure.

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Analysis: St. Kitts and Nevis Legal Leadership on the Rise

The simultaneous election of two legal heavyweights from St. Kitts and Nevis to the top posts of the OECS Bar Association underscores the Federation’s rising influence within the regional legal community.

Both Bart and Joseph-Rowe represent different generations of Caribbean leadership — Bart as the seasoned statesman-diplomat, and Joseph-Rowe as the modern reformist and mentor. Together, they embody the twin pillars of continuity and progress that the OECS legal system urgently needs.

Their election sends a clear message: the St. Kitts and Nevis legal fraternity continues to punch above its weight, setting a high standard for excellence, professionalism, and regional unity.

As the conference draws to a close, the sentiment among delegates is unanimous — the OECS Bar Association is in capable hands, led by two of the region’s finest.

— By SKN Times | Regional Affairs & Justice Desk