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Reply:
Mr President,
(a)
(b)
Parties wishing to complain about the conduct of a Presiding Officer of the Labour Tribunal may do so to the Chief Magistrate. The Chief Magistrate will investigate the complaint and take such action as may be appropriate, but will not interfere with any on-going judicial proceedings or decisions. Parties are informed of these complaint procedures through information pamphlets available in the Labour Tribunal.
In the past five years, the Judiciary has received some 50 complaints about the Labour Tribunal. These were mainly about Presiding Officers not accepting the complainants' evidence, the long waiting times for cases to be heard or concluded and, occasionally, about a Presiding Officer's conduct of the case. Each of these complaints was investigated. Where appropriate, the complainant is advised to pursue the matter through appeal. Waiting times are no longer a problem at the Labour Tribunal as cases are now normally heard and concluded in one to two months. Where the complaint concerns a Presiding Officer's conduct, it is brought to that officer's attention and he is requested to provide an explanation to the Chief Magistrate. Where the Chief Magistrate considers the complaint justified, he submits the case to the Chief Justice.
I have the Judiciary's reassurance that they will continue to ensure that parties to proceedings in the Labour Tribunal receive, and are seen to receive, a fair hearing.
End