XN000022-1994-03-30 — Page 29

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 1994

"THE CHIEF JUSTICE WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE AD HOC APPOINTMENTS OF DEPUTY JUDGES AS HE SEES FIT.

BE

MR MATHEWS ALSO POINTED OUT THAT THE RECORDERSHIP SCHEME WOULD INTRODUCED ON A MODEST SCALE AND EXPANDED IN THE LIGHT OF

EXPERIENCE.

HE SAID: "WE HOPE THAT IT WILL ENCOURAGE MORE MEMBERS OF THE BAR TO OBTAIN EXPERIENCE OF JUDICIAL WORK, AND THAT SOME OF THEM WILL APPLY IN DUE COURSE FOR PERMANENT APPOINTMENT TO THE BENCH.

"THE EVENTUAL EXPANSION OF THE SCHEME MAY ALSO IN THE LONG TERM CONTRIBUTE TO LOWERING THE WAITING TIME FOR HEARING CASES IN THE HIGH COURT BY ENABLING THE CHIEF JUSTICE TO PLAN IN A SYSTEMATIC WAY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADDITIONAL COURT.

+

IN ADDITION, THE BILL ALSO DEALS WITH THE APPOINTMENT OF RECORDERS OF THE HIGH COURT AND THE APPOINTMENT OF TEMPORARY REGISTRARS OF THE SUPREME COURT.

HE SAID: "AS RECORDERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO HEAR ALL TYPES OF CASES, THEIR QUALIFICATIONS WILL BE THE SAME AS FOR PERMANENT APPOINTMENTS TO THE SUPREME COURT. THEIR APPOINTMENTS WILL ALSO BE MADE BY THE GOVERNOR ON THE ADVICE OF THE JUDICIAL SERVICE COMMISSION.

"THE CHIEF JUSTICE WILL BE EMPOWERED BY CLAUSE 11 ΤΟ APPOINT SUCH TEMPORARY DEPUTY REGISTRARS ON AN AD HOC BASIS TO FILL ANY VACANT POSTS OF DEPUTY REGISTRARS OR TO DEAL WITH TEMPORARY INCREASES IN THE INTERLOCUTORY WORK IN THE SUPREME COURT."

IN RELATION TO RETROSPECTIVE APPOINTMENTS, THE BILL ALSO SEEKS TO FORMALISE THE EXISTING PRACTICE OF ALLOWING THE RETROSPECTIVE APPOINTMENT OF JUDGES AND OTHER JUDICIAL OFFICERS.

MR MATHEWS ADDED: "SUCH RETROSPECTIVE APPOINTMENTS MAY HAVE TO BE MADE IN THOSE RARE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THE FORMAL APPOINTMENT INSTRUMENTS, DUE TO SOME ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS, HAVE NOT BEEN MADE READY ON OR BEFORE THE DATES OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE APPOINTMENTS.

THE BILL ALSO SETS OUT THE PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS AT PRESENT REQUIRED OF THE REGISTRAR, THE DEPUTY REGISTRARS AND THE ASSISTANT REGISTRARS OF THE SUPREME COURT TO DOUBT, HE NOTED,

REMOVE ANY

POSSIBLE

DEBATE ON THE BILL WAS ADJOURNED.

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