Chief Justice pushes back against Justice Minister's criticism of judiciary

 

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes is pushing back against criticism of the courts by Justice Minister Delroy Chuck, declaring that the judiciary cannot be dictated to. 

 

Addressing journalists on Thursday, the Chief Justice emphasised that it is the judiciary and not the executive nor the legislature that has the authority to interpret and apply the law to ensure justice.

 

He took a swipe at comments made by the Justice Minister - during last week's sitting of the Joint Select Committee reviewing the Child Diversion Act - that the judges are misinterpreting the law. 

 

"So, for example, within recent times with regard to child diversion, there has been a view expressed that the judges are misinterpreting the law and I wish to remind the members of the public that everybody is entitled to a view, but the only place where that can be argued and acted upon is in a court of law," he contended.

 

The Chief Justice insisted that while public discussion is a vital part of democracy, the courts must operate free from influence, interference or intimidation. 

 

"So nobody, regardless of the office that they hold, can dictate to the judiciary how the law is to be interpreted. The judges are guided by the actual text of the statute, not by the intention that persons may have in their brain. And the text of this statute is the collective will of the Parliament comprising the House of Representatives and the Senate. So ministerial statements are not part of the law. And no judge, acting in accordance with the judicial oath and the Constitution, can take any account of that," he stressed.