During last week Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams, reminded us that the current Chief Justice (ag) Ian Chang is due to retire shortly. According to the constitution, the acting Chief Justice is required to retire next February but with pre-retirement leave, if taken (he has reportedly never taken leave in fifteen years) he might leave as early as the end of this year.
Chief Justice Chang is like no other judge before or, likely, after. He combines a burning passion for law with a voracious reading appetite. These have gifted him with wide knowledge and sharp and innovative analytical capability. With an easy and approachable manner, the Chief Justice combines a gregarious disposition with uniquely expressive skills. His ripe and colourful images and metaphors in speech, disguise a prodigious work ethic. His countless, usually well-written decisions, will guide lawyers and judges for many years to come. Some decisions have been reversed, some controversial, as is normal and to be expected. The lawyers defending his decisions in the Budget Case and the Two Term Presidential Limit Case will have challenging arguments to contend with.
When Chief Justice (ag) Chang retires a vacancy arises for a Court of Appeal Judge, not Chief Justice, because his substantive position is that of Justice of the Court of Appeal. Acting Chancellor Carl Singh, is the substantive Chief Justice. When, therefore, Chief Justice (ag) Chang retires the President has two options, namely, to require the acting Chancellor to resume his substantive post as
