Political leader of the Congress of the People Prakash Ramadhar said the country has learned a lesson from the debate about the conferring of Senior Counsel or "silk" on attorneys.

He said yesterday, while the situation was unfortunate, Chief Justice Ivor Archie and Justice of Appeal Wendell Kangaloo did what they felt was the right thing by returning the instruments, which granted them the title of Senior Counsel, to President George Maxwell Richards, on Friday.

"If it is they felt uncomfortable with (being awarded "silk"), it is an honorary thing and it should never have been embroiled in any controversy. When there was controversy, we must congratulate these gentlemen who are men who I know and who are men of the highest honour, integrity and calibre. It is unfortunate but we have learned a very important lesson," Ramadhar said after the COP continued its nationwide walkabout in Tunapuna yesterday.

Ramadhar, who is also Legal Affairs Minister, suggested Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who was his classmate at law school, was deserving of "silk" status.

"She won every prize the law school could have given. She is one of the most brilliant minds you could meet and in her practice she has an incredible success rate," he said.

Commenting on Attorney General Anand Ramlogan being given an instrument to become Senior Counsel, he said: "I think he has 40-odd matters before the Privy Council. I understand from one of the law lords, it is probably a record in the entire world."