More stringent measures being used to fill vacancies in the judiciary - Chief Justice

Chief Justice Brian Sykes has confirmed that more stringent measures are being used to fill vacancies in the judiciary. 

 

He stressed on Monday that academic qualification and job experience are not the only factors that are being used to determine whether a person is selected for a position. 

 

The Chief Justice said the move is part of efforts to secure better performance and efficiency in the legal system.

 

"We are selecting persons to do a job; we're not selecting qualifications," he declared.

 

It is therefore only when you have determined what the job is that you are in a position to decide who you want to do the job, he stressed, adding that "from that standpoint, seniority only comes in if, in the rare  case that you have two candidates equal in all respects, then I suppose seniority may have a role there."

 

Chief Justice Sykes was speaking at the swearing-in of nine members of the judiciary to act in higher positions for the Michaelmas Term.