Dear Editor,
Given the long impasse in confirming the Chancellor of the Judiciary and the Chief Justice, I suggest that the current holders of these offices and the past acting officers in these offices be given their full rights and retirement benefits as if they were confirmed. It is unfair to these Judges who served their country well to lose benefits because of political immaturity and pettiness of leaders we are cursed to have. Our top judicial officers became victims deserving of Oscar Awards as “actors” in their positions.
Therefore, in addition to the current acting Chancellor and CJ, former Chancellor Carl Singh and CJ Ian Chang’s estate should get the back pay and benefits as if they were confirmed office holders. If this requires parliamentary action, then let’s do it the same way the PNC gave that notorious one a lucrative special pension through a special Parliamentary Bill. This is the right thing to do!
Also, if the current formula is unworkable, the PPP and PNC must agree to change it, so we do not have this gridlock anymore. This Government is good at getting things done that it wants to get done. Look at the lightning speed with which it renewed the Liza 1 permit before the clock struck midnight. They did Exxon’s bidding, now they need to do the nation’s bidding. Why are they going slow on the Chancellor and CJ appointments? This is simply unacceptable.
What I must say, however, is that I believe the Judges who ruled that 33 seats were not the majority in a 65-member parliament, at a time when the Government was ruling on the basis of 33 seats, may have played politics. This colours my support for those Judges seeking promotion. Judges should not be drawn into politics, and make political judgements, rather than sound judicial judgements. I support the current Chief Justice to be the new Chancellor. She has proven to be very independent and fair-minded, and her judicial wisdom helped save our nation in 2020.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall
