Gov’t to fill Chief Justice vacancy

Manuel Sosa may have been removed as the Chief Justice yesterday, but the government has lost no time in appointing someone to act in this capacity. The Solicitor General Gian Ghandi told News Five that effective Monday February twenty second, Justice Troadio Gonzalez will be acting Chief Justice and that the Prime Minister has duly consulted the Leader of the Opposition, Dean Barrow — face to face — about the appointment. He said that Justice Gonzalez will hold over until a suitable candidate – most likely from the Caribbean is identified. According to Ghandi, that process has already begun. When asked if Manuel Sosa would be considered for the position, since the controversy over his appointment had hinged on its constitutionality rather than his qualifications, the Solicitor General said, “that is not being considered at this time.” Sosa was removed as Chief Justice yesterday following a ruling by Justice George Meerabux that his appointment by the previous government on August twenty sixth, just one day before the general elections, was unconstitutional and therefore null and void. Prime Minister Said Musa had objected to the appointment which he says was not only rushed, but unconstitutional since he, as Leader of the Opposition at that time was not properly consulted. In related news, the Ministry of National Security is alleging that the Leader of the Opposition made false statements yesterday at his press conference to protest the removal of the Chief Justice. According to the Ministry, at no time did police prohibit Manuel Sosa from entering any of the court’s chambers. The Ministry says the police served a Supreme Court order to Sosa at one forty-five p.m. and then he proceeded to his office without being hindered by the police officers. The Ministry says that at no time did the police physically restrain or prevent Sosa from entering the Chief Justice’s office or any other chamber of the court. According to the statement, the serving of such orders is a routine police responsibility. Yesterday Leader of the Opposition, Dean Barrow held a press conference and said that although he was not present at the time the order was served, from what he understands, the police barred Sosa from entering his own office and when he tried to enter the chambers for the Court of Appeal, the officers called Belmopan for instructions and were reportedly told that Sosa could not enter these offices either. In Barrow’s words, “the spectacle of police using force to humiliate the Chief Justice and prevent him from carrying out his function is completely without precedence.” The Ministry of National Security says it is calling on the Leader of the Opposition to withdraw what they term, “his inaccurate and reckless charge against the police.”