Judiciary immune from interference says CJ’s office

The Judiciary is immune from political interference. This was the word from the Judiciary’s information and protocol manager, Jones P Madeira, in a brief telephone interview yesterday. Madeira made the comment in response to Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley’s contribution to the debate on his motion of no confidence in Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and the Government.

In the debate, Rowley referred to e-mails allegedly sent between senior government officials in which Chief Justice Ivor Archie was described as “usually co-operative” with the government  In a direct response to this, Madeira said: “Chief Justice Archie and the Judiciary are independent and are not influenced by politics.” Madeira said he had not heard Rowley’s entire contribution and hence could not comment further.

He noted, however, that Archie’s main interactions with politicians was when he chaired an inter-ministerial/justice sector committee which deals with issues affecting the Judiciary and the judicial system. The e-mails refered to by Rowley also dealt with the possibility that Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard could be offered a position as a High Court judge so he could be replaced as DPP.

On this, Madeira said: “Mr Gaspard has not asked to be a judge, he has not applied and has not been invited by the Judiciary to apply.”  Several calls were made to Gaspard’s cellphone last evening went unanswered and he did not return calls.

Guardian