...Now as we have reported the Belize National Teachers Union, the Bar Association, the Opposition, and Civil Society have made it clear that they do not support Franz Parke's appointment as Justice of Appeal because in their view, he is not qualified for that position. The PUP have even filed a law suit against the government to block this appointment. Well, all this opposition and condemnation was pretty much ignored because Parke was sworn in today. So what will these groups do now? When we asked the BNTU president today, she didn't have a hard and fast position but she said that she just hopes the PM rethinks this decision.
Hon. Elena Smith, President, BNTU
"We discussed the matter as a council and we felt that the appointment was not or the person to be appointed wasn't the best person for the position. And so the reason being that when we looked at the constitution and we saw what it speaks of and we looked at the CV of Mr. Parke we noted that what he has did not correspond with what section 101 I believe is asking."
"Let me just share with you what it says, it says that the appointee must have held a position as judge in a part of the Commonwealth for not less than the past 15 years and two, must be of a high caliber of qualification and experience to hold such a position and so when we looked at his CV it shows that Jamaica was the last Commonwealth country in which he served and that was from 75 to 80 that is a lot of years ago and so we note that he has had more experience as an accountant than he has practicing in the Caribbean. So that was a big concern for us and we realize that there are many issues that will be going in front of him so how can we have a person who is not knowledgeable in what happens in our country, well in the Caribbean and in our country of course having to sit and make judgments on these cases if he is not aware of our system."
"But I would hope that seeing that many groups and especially with the bar association speaking out against this appointment that the Prime Minster would reconsider such a position."
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