Querying judges’ entertainment money

AN application by former Registrar of the Industrial Court, Marilin Sammy-Wallace for judicial review of the decision of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, to terminate her appointment, was heard yesterday by a High Court judge.

The former Registrar is contending that her dismissal in January this year is linked to her questioning the spending of “entertainment” monies by certain court officers. Filed against the Attorney-General, the case came up for hearing before Justice Peter Jamadar in the First Civil Court, San Fernando. Sammy-Wallace was represented by attorney Khemraj Harrikissoon. State Attorney Nadine Nabbie informed the judge that Martin Daly SC, will be appearing for the Commission. Judicial Review applications are usually heard ex-parte but when the case was heard last week, Justice Jamadar ordered that the commission be served having regard to the sensitive nature of the case.

Nabbie informed the judge that the State had no objections to leave being granted to Sammy-Wallace to review the Commission’s decision. In her application, Sammy-Wallace stated that following completion of probabtion as registrar (January 2002-2003), the Commission informed her by letter (January 10, 2003,) that she had been reverted to her former position of State Counsel III in the Inland Revenue Division, Ministry of Finance. According to documents filed with an affidavit, Sammy-Wallace contended that she verbally and in writing, questioned expenditure and monies incurred under official entertainment. Sammy-Wallace has filed letters along with her application, including one which she wrote to Prime Minister Patrick Manning in his capacity as Minister of Finance, indicating the position she took in not authorising the payments. She also submitted letters to the Auditor General and to the Comptroller of Accounts.

The former Industrial Court registrar has also filed several documents to support her claim that the Commission took a biased view on acting on certain reports about her job performamce. Justice Jamadar yesterday ordered that the applicant’s attorney file skeletal legal arguments by 9 am today, to be served on the attorney for the Commission. Daly was given until tomorrow to reply to the submissions. Attorney Nabbie said that the matter involved certain judges of the Idustrial Court, the commission and the Director of Personnel. She asked Justice Jamadar to transfer the case to the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain. Jamadar refused the request and fixed continuing hearing for Thursday before him.