The Sandy Point Benevolent Society (SPBS) is proud to partner with Honorable Selwyn S.C. Walters as Patron and Keynote speaker for its Anniversary Awards Gala to be held on Saturday, August 31, 2019 at Maestros in the Bronx, New York. This comes at an opportune moment.
The theme of the event is “Working Together for a Brighter Future” and the Honorable Selwyn Walters will take full advantage in harmonizing a strong message for the broad cross-section of citizens from St. Kitts and Nevis and Caribbean diaspora.
Judge Walters was born in Basseterre, St. Kitts and is the son of the late Ivan J. and Bronte V. Walters. He and his family have deep roots in the Newtown community. He was in the first class of students to attend the Newtown Primary School in its new facility at Ponds’ Pasture, and later attended the Basseterre Junior High School Park Range Campus. He graduated from the Basseterre High School in 1977 and worked for three years as a customs officer before leaving for the University of the Virgin Islands. He received a BA in Social Sciences, graduating with honors in political science and history. In 1988 he received his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Law School, where he was Vice Chairman of the Moot Court Board, and a Constitutional Law Teaching Fellow. He also holds a Certificate from The Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University.
Judge Walters was appointed a Federal Administrative Law Judge in 2009. In 2012 he was appointed the Chief Judge in Bronx, New York. He presides over cases from the Social Security Administration. Prior to this appointment, Judge Walters was the Deputy Chief Administrative Law Judge in the Washington State Administrative Court. He was the interim Chief Judge from October 2008 through July 2009. Judge Walters’ previous positions included serving as Attorney for the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries; staff attorney for the Commerce and Labor Committee of the Washington State House of Representatives, and an associate in the law firm of Frazer & Williams, St. Thomas. He was a legal and policy advisor to the Director of Personnel in the Office of the Governor of the U. S. Virgin Islands and served as a Special Assistant Attorney General handling labor matters. He was under contract with the Ministry of Indian and Northern Affairs of Canada in the Kitselas Indian Band’s claim against Canada, and in 1996 helped to author an historical report for submission to the Canadian Department of Justice to determine whether a lawful obligation exists for Canada to settle regarding the Band’s timber and highway claims.
Judge Walters has over thirty years’ experience as an attorney in the public and private sectors focused on constitutional law, public sector law, administrative law, and regulatory affairs. He has a solid understanding of the political and legislative processes, and a demonstrated understanding of public policy development, and implementation and administration.
Judge Walters has a passionate commitment to family, community, and social justice that is best summed up in the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which roughly translates as “humanity to others” or “I am what I am because of who we all are.”
SPBS is proud to have this son of the soil, The Honorable Selwyn S.C. Walters, serve as Patron and Guest Speaker of our 9th Annual Banquet, to be held at the Maestros Banquet Hall on August 31, 2019.
