And while the Bar association is scolding the head of the judiciary with one hand, it also scolded the head of the executive, the Prime Minister with the other.
The Bar isn't happy with the Prime Minister's choice for a new Justice of Appeal, Franz Parke. The Bar says he is not qualified and does not meet the requirements for appointment set out under the constitution.
The Prime Minister - who is an old college buddy of Parke's - says that the Bar is wrong, and Parke suits the bill just fine:...
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow - Prime Minister
"I understand the basis for the objection; I really don't agree with it. Let me explain. Mr. Park, who was a classmate of mine, extremely bright, came to law after he had already qualified as an accountant, he had a bachelor's degree in accounting. He did law the same time I did, graduated the same time I did, practiced in Jamaica for five years, where he is from, then he moved to the states where he got yet another qualification. He did the JD, the American equivalent of the LLB and practicing certificate. And he spent the rest of his professional life, up to this point, in the states where his experience is completely variegated. The BAR and the leader of the opposition, no doubt prompted by a particular member of the BAR, whom we both know extremely well, are taking the view: but the bulk of his experience is not in Belize it is in the US. Well, listen, the US is a common law jurisdiction in the same way as Belize's. Look at the CCJ because, again, it's a CARICOM wide thing, one of the justices Mr. Justice Wit, who is from Suriname, had absolutely no experience in common law legal learning. He was a civil lawyer. Nevertheless, he came to the CCJ where he is one of the more outstanding of the judges. So, I genuinely do not see that that's a disqualification. And when I look at the constitution, what is required is that this person should have been entitled to practice in our jurisdiction for a certain number of years and he was so entitled from 1975. I am convinced yet he had come already and did one session as a temporary judge. I had no complaints from the president of court or from any other member of the court and I am convinced that Franz, as bright as he is and with all the experience that he has, will make a fine Justice of Appeal."
The Parke appointment is expected to be made official shortly.
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