Ramdeen says reappointment would not solve issue

“It is not going to remove any of the problems that have been created by this appointment because, as the law stands, it is very clear to me on a number of authorities that Marcia Ayers-Caesar cannot resume those matters that were part heard.” Ramdeen was speaking at a news conference at his Cornelio Street, Woodbrook office .

“The chief magistrate, whether sitting as chief magistrate or sitting as magistrate in the magistracy, cannot resume those partheard matters and seek to continue them from the position that they were in when she resigned as magistrate to take up the position as a judge.” Deeming the move illegal, Ramdeen said the attempt by the commission “to cure what is a scandal and a stain on the administration of justice” would provide no relief to people who were in the Port-of-Spain Magistrate’s Court this week complaining about not having their matters heard in a timely fashion .

“One would think that the chief justice and the other members of the JLSC, having been faced with this situation and having been faced with a resignation of a judge of the Supreme Court, don’t you think that it would have been prudent for the JLSC to take some time and figure out what was the right procedure to adopt to try to alleviate this position and provide solution to this problem?” he asked .

“What they have done is compounded the problem that they created in the first place.” Ramdeen, who is also a UNC senator, called on Chief Justice Ivor Archie and the JLSC to explain to the public the decision to reinstate Ayers-Caesar as chief magistrate .

“Who did the JLSC consult before making this decision having regard to the circumstances that led to this decision being made?” He said he had contacted the head of the Criminal Bar Association who, he claimed, also had not been consulted on Ayers-Caesar’s reappointment .

“There is a president of the Law Association and he owes a duty to all of us and not only to the members of the legal profession, to indicate whether there was any consultation after the resignation and the decision by the JLSC .

Ramdeen called on the members of the JLSC to resign for putting the legal fraternity and country in an “embarrassing position.”