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FRIDAY, AUGUST 8, 1975

ADVISORY BODY ON JUDICIAL APPOINTMENTS PROPOSED

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A JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION IS TO BE SET UP UNDER THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE TO ADVISE THE GOVERNOR ON APPOINTMENTS TO JUDICIAL OFFICES.

THIS IS PROVIDED IN THE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION BILL WHICH IS PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GAZETTE FOR GENERAL INFORMATION.

THE ROLE OF THE PROPOSED COMMISSION WILL NOT DE AN EXECUTIVE ONE. IT WILL FUNCTION IN A PURELY ADVISORY CAPACITY REGARDING THE FILLING OF ALL VACANCIES IN JUDICIAL OFFICES.

JUDICIAL OFFICES ARE SPECIFIED AS JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT, DISTRICT JUDGES, MAGISTRATES, THE PRESIDENT OF THE LANDS TRIBUNAL, THE PRESIDING OFFICERS OF THE LABOUR TRIBUNAL, THE REGISTRAR AND ASSISTANT REGISTRARS OF THE SUPREME COURT, AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE TENANCY TRIBUNAL.

UNDER THE BILL, THE COMMISSION WILL CONSIST OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE, WHO WILL BE ITS CHAIRMAN, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PUBLIC SERVICES COMMISSION, AND NOT MORE THAN THREE OTHER MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

ONE CLAUSE IN THE BILL MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION LEGISLATION DOES NOT DEROGATE IN ANY WAY FROM THE LETTERS PATENT AND THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS UNDER WHICH THE POWER OF APPOINTING JUDGES AND OTHER PUBLIC OFFICERS IS VESTED IN THE GOVERNOR.

COMMENTING ON THE BILL. A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN NOTED THAT THE PROPOSED COMMISSION WOULD SERVE TO EMPHASISE THE EXISTING INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY.

+IT WILL BE DEMONSTRATED PUBLICLY THAT THE GOVERNOR IS TO RECEIVE INDEPENDENT, IMPARTIAL AND INFORMED ADVICE ON THE FILLING OF JUDICIAL POSTS,+ HE SAID.

AT PRESENT, APPOINTMENTS TO JUDICIAL OFFICES ARE MADE BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE ADVICE OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE.

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