He wasn’t allowed to finish cases, but he was fair, formal and fearless
The Judiciary and others showered praises on Doctor Abdulai Conteh, Chief Justice of Belize who had his final day in office today. It was both a solemn and sobering occasion. Conteh, who is originally from Sierra Leone, is a graduate of Cambridge and the competent CJ has served the country for ten years, handing down judgments that will be remembered for being both fair and fearless. Conteh’s retirement was caught in controversy because the law allows him to conclude cases before him, but a request to remain briefly past his retirement age was turned down by the government. At his send-off, the judiciary was most complimentary and gracious; the speeches were flattering and effusive but before we bring you the pomp and circumstance that accompanied this afternoon’s proceedings at the Courthouse where he sat for a decade, Dr. Conteh sat down with the media and fielded questions about his retirement and his work, it was a unique opportunity.
Doctor Abdulai Conteh, Retired Chief Justice of Belize
dr. abdulai conteh
“I refuse to be drummed out of office. It would be undignified for the office of a judge I lettered on the Chief Justice. So, the sorrow that I regretted in my statement is for the clients who had paid attorneys—they appeared before me. In two or three of those cases have made rulings—some are being taken to appeal. Now when I had to return the files, you can imagine if you are paying, I got to pay all over again. So I felt sorry for them. It is not a question of compromise—there is nothing to compromise. You either follow the constitution or you don’t follow it. That is my position that’s why I deliberately. I think it is simple enough language subsection two of section ninety-eight. At the time I had given indication I would leave in January, I had outstanding judgments and I had about ten or eleven cases to go through. I’d hoped if there had been some forbearance on the other side, they would have allowed me to go ‘til December and I would have finished it. But it was not to be as I said. But like I have said, my sorrow is for the people involved and the attorneys that labored and will now have to start all over again. It was an incident that might have been controversial for the judiciary in Belize, but I took the stand with my colleague judges, with members of the bar, when they saw me, they tried to make recommendations to. I said please whatever you do; don’t turn the judiciary into political football. We are all losers because we are going to be scoring our own goal against our own side. That is still my view. That is my position.”
Jose Sanchez
“After listening today’s session, you’ve been accused, in fact charged by your peers for being fair, formal and fearless in giving judgments against both P.U.P. and U.D.P. governments. How do you plead?”
Doctor Abdulai Conteh
“Let’s me say how I plea. I remember the day for a long time a former solicitor general of the government of Belize and had the demerit as I look back on it to say, my client the government. Hang on, hold your horses, I don’t have government in court. Government should sue conduct itself that it’s never brought to court. What I have are claimants and the defendants. Please don’t utter that word again, your client the government. So before me, I don’t see parties as government. No! I see claimant, I see defendant who has pressing issues. If I begin to say, oh that’s the government I should…no no no. I’ll be doing a disservice to my oath. I don’t have government in my court—I never had. I saw clients, defendants, claimants, respondents. Guilty.”
Dr. Conteh sits on the Cayman Court of Appeal and he has been invited to serve in other jurisdictions.
TALK ABOUT CUTTING OFF YOUR NOSE… TO SPITE YOUR FACE……………………. IT’S A SAD DAY!!!
He was one of the few that did a good job. Its sad he has to go. He should’ve been allowed to wrap up the open cases though. Two or three more months wouldn’t have killed the government. I guess they’ll decide who fills in – good luck to that person, hopefully they can follow in the footsteps of the former CJ.
It seems the Barrow administration is hell bent on dismantling our civil liberties – judicial tenure is under attack, hence the judiciary, our last line of protection, is under attack. We’re facing wire tapping, email tapping, and goodness knows what else they have up their sleeve next.
Maybe if they would concentrate on good governance, education and a trained and fairly paid police department, we wouldn’t need all these assaults against our constitutionally guaranteed rights.
Unfortunately, Barrow, as a lawyer, is fully aware of the dangers to the government of an independent judiciary, and I think he’s out to dismantle it. Woe be unto us if he does.
Great man. Hopefully they get a similar replacement…Good luck Dr. Conteh
Now really I do agree with you Proud…. he was a man of integrity and conscience…. fearless of the people in power….. as a true judge should be….
But again how can we allow the GOB to have the power to do such things???? This a loophole both the PUP and UDP GOBs have allowed to exist for their convenience!!!
Best of luck for Dr. Conteh, he was a great man, the Country of Belize has lost a great man in our Judicial system,
IRREPLACEABLE!!!!!
All the best in Life Dr. Conteh, You served us Belizeans well. You were here in our most troublesome times and enlightened us with your Wisdon, Honesty and Integrity. We thank you for your valued contributions and may they be a template for others replacing you.
Personally…Thank you!
God Bless You.
Nough respect to Dr Conteh.With that said i think is time for us the Belizean people to start deciding our own faith.
So what happen to the cases that wern’t finished by Dr Conteh?I assume that those case file must have gone missing.
Queen Elizabeth the Second:-
By the Grace of God Queen of Belize of Her other Realms and Territories,
Head of the Commonwealth
To
Her Majesty’s Supreme Court of Justice
His Lordship, Chief Justice
Dr Abdulai O Conteh
ON BEHALF OF THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH, “GOD BLESS YOU”
WE THANK YOU… and pursuant to the BRITSH NATIONALITY ACT 1981 Part V ss. 35-56 JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT DAY IS COMMING TO THIS TRYANICAL AND DESPOT GOB ; WE THE BLOOD OF LE CRUIT “SUE BEACH” DANGRIGA, DESCENDANTS OF PARAMOUNT CHIEF OF CHIEFS OF “THE BLACK CARIBS” JOSEPH CHATOYER,DECEASED DORCHESTER HILL, IN THE ISLE OF ST VINCENT’S 1795, WE SALUTE YOU.
ITS A SAD, BAD, MAD, DAY FOR JUSTICE IN BELIZE, THERE IS NO CONFIDENCE IN THE RULE OF LAW OR JUSTICE IN BELIZE WITHOUT YOU, GOD HELP US, AND GOD HELP BELIZE…
Cessaro Antonio Buller-Le Cruit
Administrator of the stolen annexed
Crown Lands of James Alexander
Le Cruit, and King George V, His Heirs
and Successors sea coast South of
Dangriga Town and Grandson of Miss Sue,
Sue Beach Dangriga Belize Caribbean C.A.
http://www.theblackcaribs.com
Le Cruit whilst I have no problem with being referred to as a Black Carib, I also want you to be
updated with its equivalent nomenclature of GARIFUNA— I admire your interest and originality
towards politics. SDP—I just heard about it–I am still convinced in the words of President
Kennedy to ask what you can do for your country instead of asking what your country can do for
you.
Lets up the ANTE and turn this thing around—POSITIVELY
Sounds like CJ Conteh couldn’t be paid off so they didn’t want him a day past his retirement age.
Unfortunately there’s not going to be another …….old school. Nuff respect!