Attorney General: JPs will be held accountable

The entry-level position for those involved in the current immigration scandal appears to be that of Justice of the Peace. With one J.P. already admitting to bearing false witness and a number of others running scared, News 5’s Stewart Krohn took the opportunity to ask Attorney General Godfrey Smith what his ministry plans to do about it.

Godfrey Smith, Attorney General

“The law allows for the revocation of the appointment of Justice of the Peace in instances where there is improper behaviour, the commitment of a crime. What is absent from the relevant piece of legislation, is a system for the annual or two yearly review of the performance of the Justices of the Peace. Based on our research, carried out since this recent issue involving the Ministry of Immigration, it appears that what obtains in other countries is that when you’re given the appointment as a Justice of the Peace, or a Commissioner of the Supreme Court, or a Notary Public, it’s not for an indefinite period, as obtains in Belize, but for a specific period, which must be delineated on whatever piece of document the J.P. or the Notary Public swears to. So it will say, term of office expires on such a time. In Belize it’s indefinite, I think, so what the Solicitor General and I have been doing, is to gather other legislation from other countries where it pertains to that. And we’re trying to work on some amendments that will limit the term of office of all of these persons, like Justices of the Peace, so that if it’s for two years, then you have to apply for renewal, and you have to be able to show that you are deserving of your appointment.”

Stewart Krohn

“In this specific incidence, as you have admitted, there appears to be a strong likelihood of wrong doing on the part of at least one or most likely several JP’s. What do you plan to do about it?”

Godfrey Smith

“We, through the office of the Solicitor General, are looking at those two cases. We will not be waiting for any sort of criminal investigation, because based on our reading of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, it doesn’t require. And once we are of the view that they have conducted themselves in such as way as to have their appointment revoked, then it will be done.”

Smith admitted that over the years both political parties have allowed the position of Justice of the Peace to be devalued into a political reward.

In related news, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Parchue of the Belize Defence Force has been appointed to run the Immigration Department in the wake of the suspension of Paulino Castellanos. The police are said to be investigating the scandal although we are not certain who is handling the case. We are also reliably informed that immigration agent Gabby Affif has returned to Belize and will be questioned by authorities shortly. He is the man who induced J.P. Max Santos to lie and is suspected of forging numerous passport applications and procuring passports for people who did not qualify for Belize citizenship.