Doubt over another new judge

According to sources, the judge in question had a disciplinary complaint against them and it is not certain if the judge was cleared of the allegation .

Sunday Newsday understands a strongly worded report on the issue was written by a now retired judge on the disciplinary tribunal .

However, sources said the final report of the tribunal was never completed by another judge before that person left the Judiciary, but was subsequently written and back-dated .

It is not certain of the complaint was raised before the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) during the recent selection process .

Only last week, former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar resigned as a judge of the Supreme Court less than two weeks after she was on the job amid growing concerns of the number of part-heard cases left on her docket prior to her elevation .

Ayers-Caesar’s possible reappointment to her former position of chief magistrate has also caused disquiet in the legal fraternity .

Several senior counsel have spoke out on the issue questioning the legality of the move .

Senior Counsel Martin Daly chastised the JLSC .

“The Judicial and Legal Services Commission was careless in the first place not to do its own due diligence into what cases the chief magistrate had pending,” Daly told the daily Newsday on Friday. According to Daly, putting Ayers-Caesar back on the magisterial bench they will bring the administration of justice into massive disrepute” .

“If judicial officers don’t have to be candid, then why should members of the public have to be candid when they appear before them? They have put themselves in an untenable position,” Daly said. Both senior counsel Pamela Elder and Israel Khan were adamant that Ayers-Caesar could no longer resume hearing the cases she left behind .

Khan went further to call for Chief Justice Ivor Archie’s and the JLSC members resignation .

Also last week, the Law Association called for the process of the selection if judges to be more transparent while Daly described as “hollow” the assurance the commission gave that rigorous processes had been followed .

Also emerging yesterday, were reports that another appointment is expected to be made in June .

Sources said former deputy director of public prosecutions Kathy Ann Waterman-Latchoo is expected to take up a position as a High Court judge .

Waterman-Latchoo resigned from the Office of the DPP in 2014 to become a judge in St Vincent .