Will the Chief Justice Stay On or Proceed to Retirement?

Michael Peyrefitte

Offering the Chief Justice a contract extension means that government would be prepared to negotiate new terms of agreement to include pay scale and salary, as well as other benefits.  That decision, however, is also contingent upon a vote to be taken by members of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.  The taskforce is comprised of representatives from the Public Service Commission and the Bar Association, the Solicitor General and CJ Benjamin, himself.  While two persons have expressed interest thus far, the process, says the Attorney General, will be thorough.

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General

“There’s the issue of financing.  There’s the issue of pay scale and different things that judges may want to be equally protected like most public servants.  Even though they are independent, they do draw from the public’s purse.  So all of those discussions will take place, it’s important that we pay attention to it because indeed, having judges in place, especially a Chief Justice, is very important whether it be this current Chief Justice or a new one.  So all that discussion has to take place and we look forward.  We, of course, will encourage local people, local senior counsels to seek an interest in judgeships in Belize.  We know we have two people who have expressed interest and hopefully we will look at everyone carefully and we can make a decision at that point to say, “Look, we have assessed from the Caribbean.  We have assessed from home and we will look carefully as to who we want to have the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, hopefully choose.  The Public Service Commission has a vote through the chairman.  The Solicitor General has a vote, the current Chief Justice has a vote in terms of that selection process.  It doesn’t make it simpler that there is a challenge in the court against the makeup of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission by the bar against the Chief Justice himself, as well as the AG’s ministry because you have to sue us whenever you sue anybody who is drawing pay from the public purse.  All of those things make matters complicated.”