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PM On Ashcroft V. Awich: Is the Lord Meddling?
posted (July 27, 2012)
Earlier this week we told you about the extraordinary letter from Michael Ashcroft and other functionaries of the Alliance to the Chief Justice asking that - as the chair of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission - he order the investigation of Justice Sam Awich who was recently elevated to the court of appeal.

Ashcroft's 12 page letter accuses Awich of misbehavior - and accuses the Prime Minister of making an improper appointment. Today, we asked the PM about that appointment:..

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"It is now a matter for the JLSC to deal with but my opinion is that it is a most misconceived and misguided application and I believe that there is an agenda behind it - apart from the obvious self-interested motive of - on the face of it making the application. In terms of the facts I continue to maintained that this was a proper appointment not just in terms of satisfying the constitutional requirements but from any and every conceivable point of view."

Jules Vasquez
"However it does have from practical purposes the pre-emptory effect of making it so that Justice of Appeals Awich cannot sit on any case involving the Ashcroft Alliance."

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"That's what I was referring to when I told you earlier that there is obviously an agenda."

Jules Vasquez
"So is he meddling in the judiciary?"

Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"Precisely so, that is the clear attempt that is in play here. I don't know that he will succeed. I recollect that there was an instance before when I think the bar association having had some application before Mr. Justice Awich as a judge of the Supreme Court had said to him you therefore can't sit on any matter in which the president is appearing as a lawyer and I believe he made short thrift of that. I don't know what position Mr. Justice Awich and the President of the court will take when this matter is raised and has to be ventilated before the Court of Appeal but I think you are exactly right. That is what Ashcroft is trying to pre-emptively ensure that he can as it were almost pick the panel on the court of appeal and I hope to God that he will not be allowed to get away that."

No date has been set for the meeting of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

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