Three Bajans after CJ post

by ANTOINETTE CONNELL

antoinetteconnell@nationnews.com

THERE ARE AT LEAST nine people interested in the soon-to-be-vacant position of Chief Justice, with three of them Barbadians.

A total of 38 applicants responded to advertisements for that post – which carries an annual salary in excess of $200 000, plus a number of allowances and perks – two vacancies for Justices of Appeal and one for a High Court judge.

The deadline for applications closed last Friday and by then, according to reliable sources, there were three Barbadians among those seeking to succeed current Chief Justice Sir Patterson Cheltenham who retires on May 15. Sir Patterson, 74, has headed the judiciary for threeand-half years having been appointed in November 2020.

Of the 16 applicants applying to be Justices of Appeal, six are Barbadians while there are seven Barbadians among the 13 applicants for the High Court judge vacancy.

The interest to sit on the Bench has attracted people from Sierra Leone, Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Fiji, Canada, Australia, Sri Lanka, Scotland, Ireland and the region. However, there were no applications coming from Jamaica.

The Judicial Appointments Committee, in the advertisement for the positions, listed among the responsibilities of the Chief Justice that of leading the Supreme Court and overseeing the deployment and performance of judges; allocation of the business of the court; presiding over cases

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of high public importance as Chief Justice or President of the Court of Appeal; and ensuring the judiciary has the appropriate administrative and technological support, along with ensuring the Judicial Council functions.

Those who can be considered for the post must be qualified as a judge in Barbados or a court of unlimited jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters in the Commonwealth; and qualified to practise as an attorney in Barbados or some part of the Commonwealth or in a common law jurisdiction for not less than 15 years.

“In addition, a professor or teacher of law who has been qualified to practise as an attorney at law in Barbados for 15 years is eligible for appointment,” the ad read.

The next step is the shortlisting of the candidates and for the committee to agree on the questions. The references of those who make it past the first round will then be contacted.

Retired Chief Justice Sir David Simmons is chairman of the committee while the current Chief Justice sits as an ex-officio member. Other members include Sir Dennis Byron, former president of the Caribbean Court of Justice; retired Justice of Appeal Christopher Blackman; Michael Fitzwilliam, representing the Barbados Bar Association, and retired banker Patricia Brunton, representing civil society.

Sir Patterson became the fifth Chief Justice of Barbados since Independence, replacing Sir Marston Gibson, who retired after nine years. He went on pre-retirement leave September 1, 2020. That year was the first time the post of Chief Justice was publicly advertised.

Prior to Sir Marston returning to Barbados from the United States to take up office, Sir David served from 2002 until 2010.

Barbados’ other post-Independence Chief Justices were Sir William Douglas (1965-1986) and Sir Denys Williams (1987-2001).