Will Chief Justice’s Contract be Extended?

Kenneth Benjamin

Prime Minister Dean Barrow also took questions on a number of other issues aside from the Lev Dermen scandal at his press conference. Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin reaches retirement age in the first part of this year. He was appointed Chief Justice in 2011 and whether or not his contract will be extended has not been decided. Benjamin has met with Attorney General and is expected to meet with the PM in the near future. According to Barrow, the matter is up in the air at the moment.

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“I don’t know yet what will happen. I am supposed to meet with the Chief Justice and I know that the Attorney General already met with him. What the Attorney General tells me no decision has been taken about this point the Chief Justice’s future. SO it is a matter a little up in the air. Everything will have to be considered and certainly that is on ingredient. In defence of the Chief Justice I would say that while we can’t get away from the fact of delay he has been excellent in terms administration. Everybody says to me that if only he could concentrate on that but trying to manage both the administrative overload and the judgment writing process has proven a challenge for it. The fact is what it is what it is. I accept your contention that in making a determination that particular ingredient must be part of the mix to be considered.”