Nassau, The Bahamas — Dean and Rector of Christ Church Cathedral The Very Rev’d Patrick Adderley called on justices, magistrates and members of the Bar to give of their very best during a service to mark the opening of the Legal Year.
“If excellence is the watchword of your profession and service, then you ought to endeavour in all things to seek the very best, to give of your best and to work towards achieving your best,” said Dean Adderley.
Among those attending the service at Christ Church Cathedral was Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs the Hon. John Delaney, Court of Appeal President Anita Allen, and Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade. Students of CH Walker High School were also present. Hon. Justice Estelle Gray-Evans and Ernie Wallace, Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court read the scriptures and Dr. Sparkman Ferguson was the organist.
Dean Adderley urged those present to govern themselves by the highest ethical standards whether from a sense of duty or obligation.
Public life would not be marked by rancour or bitterness toward others if the best for the community is sought, said the Dean.
“If we sought to be perfect as citizens we would be more prepared to work for the common good and to make our country a better place for all. This entails living responsible, law-abiding lives not being governed by worldly materialism, greed and selfishness but being concerned about the greater good.”
Following the service members of the legal profession joined in a procession to the Supreme Court for a special sitting.
THE SET UP THE BAHAMIAN JUDICIARY
BY PRIME MINISTER HUBERT INGRAHAM,
WHO DOES WHATEVER HE WISHES
It is so very unfortunate, as a Country and as a people, that, we have a Prime Minister, who does whatever he wishes, whether we like it or not, and to the detriment of the Bahamian people, because he believes, that he can get away with it.
It is also very unfortunate, as a Country and as a people, that, we have a Prime Minister, who has set up, and continues to set up The Judiciary of The Bahamas, for his benefit, and for the benefit of his Administration, which is a matter of grave National concern, as the actions of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, are unlawful, illegal, and contrary to the rule of law.
A MATTER OF GRAVE NATIONAL CONCERN
Indeed, a matter of grave national concern, and the most serious issues facing our Country today, is the ‘The state of The Bahamian Judiciary’, and ‘The Set up of The Bahamian Judiciary’, by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
In 2006, former senior Supreme Court Justice John Lyons, ruled that, because The Executive (both administrations) ‘Broke the Law’, by not appointing a Committee (independent), in 2003, 2006, (nor in 2009), to review the Remuneration of Judges’ salary and pensions Act, that the Judiciary of The Bahamas is beholden to The Executive, therefore making the Judiciary of The Bahamas, ‘unconstitutional, not independent and not impartial’:
Justice Lyons ruled that this very serious problem of The Bahamas Judiciary, cannot be corrected, by Legislation, nor by The Judiciary, BUT by the Executive calling a Referendum, to Amend The Constitution of The Bahamas,
as the Executive did not appoint a committee, in the period, required by law:
Yet, in 2007, the Executive, defied the rule of law, and still passed a Resolution, in ‘The House’, increasing Judges’ Salaries, and which was approved by both Administrations.
Please see The Bahamas, The next Turks and Caicos @ Bahamas Press,
and Bahamas Issues.
This is Bribery, as the Executive, shockingly, made an unlawful offer to Judges of The Bahamas, and even more shocking, Judges of The Bahamas accepted the unlawful offer of the Executive, knowing it to be illegal, unlawful, and contrary to law.
Please see Bribery of The Bahamian Judiciary @ Bahamas Press,
and Bahamas Issues.
THE PRIME MINISTER SHOWS UTTER CONTEMPT FOR THE RULE OF LAW
Four (4) years later, however, Prime Minister Ingraham, continues to defy the rule of law, doing whatever he wishes, while refusing to correct this very serious problem of The Bahamian Judiciary, by the calling of a Referendum:
What Prime Minister Ingraham does instead, is set up The Bahamian Judiciary, for his benefit:
Prime Minister Ingraham is:
i) Illegally appointing Judges, despite Justice Lyons’ ruling, that Judges
are no longer independent,
and that judges can no longer be appointed, UNTIL The
Executive corrects this very serious problem, of the Judiciary.
Yet The Prime Minister has appointed Judges, and continues to appoint
judges, known to be of his political persuasion, including Chief Justice,
sir Michael Barnette, where there is indeed, a conflict of interest.
ii) Illegally extending the tenure of judges, contrary to Justice Lyons’
ruling, that there can be no extension of the tenure of Judges
(meaning that once judges reach retirement age, they cannot be granted
extension of tenure) UNTIL the Executive corrects this very serious
problem of the Judiciary.
However, what Prime Minister Ingraham has done, and continues to do,
is grant extension of tenure to judges, who have reached retirement age:
Prime Minister Ingraham, did this in the case of former Court of Appeal
President, Justice Dame Joan Sawyer, who he granted extension of tenure,
to, for two (2) years, when she had reached retirement age,
but which is in contravention of the rule of law, according to Justice
Lyons’ ruling, and should not have been granted, to the former president.
iii) Allowing the Courts of The Bahamas to operate, in the state they are in,
knowing the Bahamian Judiciary, to be Unconstitutional, Not Independent,
and Not Impartial, according to Justice Lyons, and who also ruled, that
this is a ‘Constitutional Crisis’.
PRIME MINISTER INGRAHAM CONTINUES TO SET UP THE
BAHAMIAN JUDICIARY
Prime Minister Ingraham (and the Executive), continues to set up The Bahamian Judiciary, and where there was a recent amendment to The Supreme Court Act, drastically increasing the Filing Fees, in The Supreme Court:
Before this amendment, the filing Fees, in The Supreme Court, was approximately ten dollars ($10.00), for unspecified damages.
After the amendment, Filing Fees, in The Supreme Court, was drastically increased to approximately three hundred dollars ($300.00).
This is ridiculous, and another heavy taxation on the backs of the Bahamian citizens, and which, I believe, is to discourage persons from seeking redress in the courts, a violation of the Constitutional rights of citizens, of ‘Access to the Courts’.
RIDICULOUS FILING FEES ALSO BEING CHARGED
IN THE COURT OF APPEAL
The Filing Fees, in The Court of Appeal, was also drastically increased, in 2005:
Before the amendment, the Filing Fees, for a Notice of Motion, in The Court of Appeal, was approximately fifteen dollars ($15.00).
After the amendment, the Filing Fees, for a Notice of Motion, in The Court of Appeal, was drastically increased to five hundred dollars ($500.00).
This is ridiculous, and another heavy taxation on the backs of the Bahamian citizens, and which is to discourage persons from seeking redress in the courts, but which is a violation of the Constitutional rights of citizens, of ‘Access to the Courts’.
With such outrageous Filing Fees now being charged in both The Supreme Court, and The Court of Appeal, how can there really be access to the Courts, especially for the ‘small man’?
LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR COURTS, BECAUSE OF THE STATE OF
OUR JUDICIARY
Because of the state of our Judiciary, there can be no justice in our Courts, as according to Justice Lyons’ ruling, The Bahamas Judiciary, is unconstitutional, not independent and not impartial, and further ruling that ‘judges are no longer independent’.
Yet, because of the state of our Judiciary, what do you see happening in our Courts?
i) Judges are making very questionable decisions, in both criminal and civil
cases.
ii) There are adjournments after adjournments of court matters, but where
attorneys and judges must be held accountable, as in many cases, I
believe it’s intentional, and an obstruction and perversion of the course
of justice.
iii)Decisions are being overturned or set aside, by judges of our Courts,
more often than should, and which also contributes to the backlog of
cases in our court system, with cases lingering in our courts, for far
too long.
This too, can be, and is an obstruction and perversion of the course of
justice.
In an independent, impartial, and constitutional court, decisions being
overturned or set aside, either by a more senior judge, or a higher Court,
MUST BE in accordance, with the rule of law, and not on a Judge’s feeling.
iv) Bail being given, even in very heinous crimes, like murder.
LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY, BECAUSE OF THE STATE
OF OUR JUDICIARY
i) Look at the unacceptable high level of crime, in our Country, as bailis
being given,in very heinous crimes, like murder.
ii) There is no Enforcement of the rule of law
iii) There is vigilante justice, with persons taking the law into their own
hands.
Yet The Minister of National Security, refuses to enforce the law of the land, refuses to read the death warrant, to those who have exhausted their Appeals:
You also have those accused of a heinous crime,like murder, who may be sitting in prison for years, possibly five, and who would appear before a judge, along with their attorney, claiming that their constitutional rights of a to a fair trial WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME, was violated.
And which believe, is intentional!
However, you have judges, who would acquit these individuals for heinous crimes, like murder.
This is ridiculous, unacceptable, and cannot be allowed to continue!
This is no justice!
OUR LEADERS MUST BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STATE OF OUR NATION
The Judiciary, the Minister of National Security, The Prime Minister, Political Leaders, The Attorney General, the Chief Justice, and Attorneys, MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE, for the state of our Nation,
Notwithstanding that parents are also responsible for the right upbringing of their children.
However, if they don’t, or if their child is rebellious, then the law of the land must still be enforced, must still be carried out.
If the law of the land is not enforced, then it creates
chaos, anarchy, lawlessness, and disorder,
and our authorities, must therefore, be held accountable, for the state of our Nation.
Ecclesiastes 8:11 says ‘When the sentence for a crime is not quickly
carried out, the hearts of a people are filled with schemes, to do wrong’.
WHAT ELSE WOULD OUR POLITICAL LEADERS AND OUR JUDGES DO?
If, the Executive can offer a bribe to judges, what else would they do?
If, our judges would accept a bribe, what else would they do,
especially presiding over cases involving the Executive, the Government, or perhaps whoever else would make an attractive financial offer?
If our parliamentarians can vote in favour of increasing Judges’ salaries, knowing it to be unlawful, illegal, and contrary to law, then what else would they do?
We truly are in a sad state, as this indeed, is a matter of grave National concern!
Those who are supposed to be make law, interpret law, and enforce the rule of law, themselves are breaking the law!
A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE AGAINST THIS ADMINISTRATION
There must be a way a vote of no confidence can be levied against this present Administration, before 2012!
As I believe that 2012, will be too late!
And we really don’t know what else our leaders have done,
with our God given Bahamaland!
Wake up Bahamas!!!
We must save our Country, before it’s too late!
Our leaders (both Administrations) must not be allowed to do whatever they wish!
They must be held accountable for the unlawful actions!
Thank you
Mrs. Tanya Cash (A Very Concerned Citizen, House Wife, and Mother)
Oh, how wonderous do the lwayes of our country look. But wait a minute…”Our Country?” If you ask anybody in that long line who is ACTUALLY the head of our Government- they will tell you it is the Crown of England. As soon as Bahamain people start pushing to have a legal system which actually represent the culture of the Bahamas, and not some implanted English Court Room (with blonde wigs to boot!) which is paid for Bahamain people and judges Bahamain People according to the principles and processes of our former colonizers, the Bahamain people will BEGIN to mature and garner intergity. However, as long as we continue to subjigate Bahamain people to rules of the colonizers and tolerate the ‘sell-out’ politicians who continue this horrible system we will be but children- obedient to a master whom we have yet to confront; our ignorance of our laws and the people we trust to uphold them.
That is a LONG procession of legal people.
They look scary.
Mr. Ingraham should have them march straight to FOX HILL PRISON, and frighten the inmates.
I wonder will WIN BEST costume and off the shoulder.
Over a thousand Lawyers and not an honest one in the bunch.
My God what a site;this must be a lucrative profession.Members of the bench and the bar. The word of God said,”and I search among them and found none worthy.” Perhaps they should go to repent more often rather than just a red mass.
Da ‘Vigzy’ head PEOPLE KILLING the country!
BP
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