Lalla calls on CJ, JLSC to resign

In a letter to newspaper editors yesterday, Lalla said the recent imbroglio surrounding the facts and circumstances of the appointment of the former chief magistrate to the High Court and the subsequent cancellation of that appointments “have raised serious questions of procedural impropriety and gross dereliction of duty on the part of both the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) and the Chief Justice (CJ).” In the opinion, Lalla, a former head of the public service, the letters of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar challenging the constitutionality and/or legality of her removal as a judge have “further exacerbated the gravity and magnitude of the debacle.” He said the Chief Justice ought to have known of his “enormous responsibility” for the administration of justice, while the JLSC was expected to “observe the principles of fairness and procedural propriety” when appointing judges.

“It would seem, however, that both the JLSC and the CJ have been in breach of their respective roles and functions and in view of the gravity and magnitude of the issues both the CJ and members of the JLSC should cease functioning in their respective capacities.” He also said there was a perception on the part of citizens that the procedure, criteria and/or mechanisms used by the JLSC for determining suitability for the appointment of judges were designed for the elimination of candidates who were not favourites of the powers that be. “That perception, however, may not be without justification since it has been established that the psychometric system, written examination and the awarding of marks at interviews as the process for the determination of suitability for appointments are not predictive of a person’s on-the-job performance, particularly since each of those criteria has manifest limitations.

Moreover, it has been held by the highest court of our land that marks in interviews do not determine an officer’s competence for on the job performance or promotion,” he said.