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PM Reluctant To Wade In to Bar/CJ Minefield
posted (July 25, 2017)
We also got a chance to speak with Prime Minister Dean Barrow about this and several other topics today at the airport after he returned from personal leave. When we asked him about the Bar Association's issues with the 29 delayed judgments from the Chief Justice, the Prime Minister was less forthcoming than the Attorney General.

Here's our attempt to question him on it:

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"While I was away I still read and I saw the electronic news this morning and the fact is according to what you reported, apart from having been scolded by the bar for sensationalizing the story and coming into unauthorized possession of their documentation. How much you reported it seems that they have reach some kind of understanding and that the bar association has decided to back off and to give the chief justice a chance to complete dealing with the backlog. So, I don't know that there is anything more to be said."

Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"Sir, but is it not a concern for judgements to be delayed for whatever period of time given that litigants should have a fair chance of their matter being heard to time?"

Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Of course and that's why the bar had the draft resolutions that came into your possession which you published and even though from what I saw in your reporting, the bar has agreed to give time for the delayed outstanding judgements to be completed. I think they repeated the fact that it is a matter of extreme concern and it has to be for those litigants that have not had their judgements given and for the entire system. All I am saying to you is I don't feel there is any need for me to comment any further, because it's all been said by the bar association."

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