Give me a Veil of Silk — no Alligator Skin
THE EDITOR: Recent comments in the press, prompt me to reflect on that legendary dictum of the Privy Council, that "Justice is not a cloistered virtue." This came out of the Port-of-Spain Gazette’s criticism of court judgements by its editor and owner Mr Ambard. This Privy Council dictum should remind members of the judiciary that the court is not "their" institution, but rather it belongs to the people. The court is not there to provide employment for a few, nor to house judges in ivory towers, whether cloaked in alligator skin or finest silk, but to provide justice for the people. The courts are of the people, and for the people, the courts are without any raison d’etre, unless we the people repose our trust, our faith, and our confidence in them. The courts are established for us the people, and not for the judges. An alligator hide is not desirable clothing for a judge. It provides him with cover for bad judgements, and shields him from citizen complaints, maybe justified, maybe not. In my judgement, a judge so endowed should shed his alligator skin, in exchange for a fine veil of transparent silk. Let the world see and judge the clarity of his work. Let citizens revere the logic of his judgements. He should earn the trust and confidence of citizens. He should come out into the open from his ivory tower, and they will learn from him, respect him, and better understand the law. They will love him and not defile his name on the streets. And in their time of distress, they will turn to their courts with conviction and confidence, and hope. They will see through the veil of silk but not the alligator skin. MICHAEL J WILLIAMS Maracas St Joseph
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"Give me a Veil of Silk — no Alligator Skin"