Justice Denys Barrow resigns from Court of Appeal
denys barrow
There is major news to report tonight on the judicial front. A letter dated January twenty-fourth Justice Denys Barrow suddenly resigned as a judge on the court of appeal, less than two years after taking up the job. The justice, who is the brother of the Prime Minister, was named to the Court of Appeal on August tenth, 2009 and according to his letter sent to the Governor General, his decision was premised on his intention to return to private practice and is to take effect February twenty-eighth. As reason for his unexpected resignation, Barrow says that the Government of St Lucia has refused to pay pension benefits due upon his retirement, as an Appeal judge in the Eastern Caribbean. He disclosed that he was forced to file a claim on fourteenth January 2011 against the Government of St Lucia which has simply ignored the claim and refused to even acknowledge receipt of letters of inquiry. Barrow continues, “Having returned at the end of 2008 to Belize and to private practice, I later decided I could afford to leave private practice and become a judge in Belize because I treated the expected pension benefits as part of my financial resources. That expectation having been removed, I must now adjust. I express my gratitude to the Government of Belize for the honor conferred on me by the appointment. I am especially grateful for the confidence and support members of the public, on both sides of the political divide, expressed on my appointment and during my tenure. It took courage for the Prime Minister, Hon. Dean Barrow, to appoint his brother to the judiciary and no less courage for the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. John Briceño, to support that appointment. I salute them.”
The departing Judge also expressed confidence in the court of appeal under Justice Sosa and Justices Brian Alleyne, and Dennis Morrison. The news sent tremors all over because he is the third judge to resign from the courts in the past year. Justice Elliot Mottley, the former president of the court of appeal resigned last October while Justice Boyd Carey left the bench in less than happy circumstances. At the beginning of the year, Justice Manuel Sosa was elevated as president of the Court of Appeal to replace Mottley. Then there is the Chief Justice Abdulai Conteh who left last September. The new Chief Justice is yet to be appointed.
I belive there is truth in both soldier’s and denning’s comments. I smell something fishy and it must be lucrative. Glad the Gov’t of St Lucia refuses to pay. They are trying to get from other countries as well. onder if that appontmnet to the CCJ has any influence. Guess we just have to wait and see if the barrow’s empire is changing again. I wonder when my people will action
Wow, how much does one need for financial security? Am sure this fella is well, financially, secured. Sounds like a bunch of crap to me, he gouged on the public trough and not much left now so he is moving the hell on. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Too many small minds in Belize. Just read some of the comments above.
I guess he’s tired of watching his niece and ex sister – in – law literally making millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money, while he, who is just as qualified as his ex sister in law, and certainly more qualified than his niece, is making peanuts in comparison to them.
I agree PM u guys to go
I agree PM you guys got to go
CEO, u see it papa? they go around in circles!!!! Check out all the other articles, it’s almost cut and paste comments!!!!
Don’t get surprised if he becomes the next CJ. I am almost sure this is all well-orchestrated.
Fromafar and CEO; maybe you missed the part about a democratic country (at least what’s left) where people have the right to speak their minds, discuss ideas and debate. If you don’t like or don’t agree with what someone has to say on this open forum; then make a rebuttal; instead of coming here to make the lamest, most pathetic attempt at criticizing people’s comments. I guess you are the people who Barrow said he had going on sites such as this ‘blogging,’ guess he was also right that many of the PUPs went to get higher learning. Just go away, you guys are called Trolls on the net. P.S. I have learned a lot from these discussion forums, maybe you are too closed-minded to filter through the few nonsense (like your comments) that pops up.