I've read, in today's Guardian, the Geisha Kowlessar story highlighting the views of retired chief justice Sat Sharma and others concerning better arrangements for these high officials. The case was made for judges' pensions to be immediately improved; it cited that some receive just a few hundred dollars per month. The comments were practically endorsed by Chief Justice Ivor Archie's disclosure that judges last got a raise in 1985 or thereabouts.
Past experience informs me judges, when first appointed, are around the age of 45. These judges have secure job for 20 years, till they reach 65.Based on their present monthly remuneration, new judges would earn about $11 million during their career on the bench.
Judges regularly have to decide on matters where the stakes run into tens or scores of millions. In the ongoing Clico disputes, the stakes exceed a billion. To deter temptation and bolster the public's confidence in the judiciary, I say judges must be as handsomely rewarded as they are regarded generally.
Typically, judges come from a pool of attorneys who have distinguished themselves in private practice. Some of them may have attained the coveted title of Senior Counsel, which puts them in an earnings class far above many other professionals. It is an indication of their high level of public spiritedness when they accept the offer to join the bench, knowing full well the severe strain acceptance would place on their personal fortunes.
If the call were mine, no magistrate or judge would be paid less than $100,000 per month and no judge less than $300,000 per month. And that does not include housing, chauffeur and travel allowances. Whether we can afford it is not relevant; what's relevant is whether we can afford to have a grumpy bench.
An immediate income-boosting measure worth considering is to allow magistrates and judges to lecture at institutions or local and international conferences for whatever fees they privately negotiate.As we underscored by lofting the People's Partnership into office (and as the new President, Anthony Carmona, reminded us), it is time to think outside the box to solve our seemingly intractable problems.
Pastor Duncan Whitmore
Princes Town