From Magistrate to Judge, You be the Judge

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Name of the author withheld by BU
Madam Justice Pamela Beckles former post vacant left vacant

Madam Justice Pamela Beckles former post vacant left vacant

I guess I am very lucky and not on remand but can anyone tell me what is the point of promoting a magistrate to a judge and not having a magistrate appointed to replace the previous one.   Admittedly mine is a civil matter but it has been adjourned from last October to January and from then no magistrate.  Where is the common sense in that ?    So we have no Chief Magistrate who could fill in either.

Something is very wrong here.

21 thoughts on “From Magistrate to Judge, You be the Judge”


  1. Thanks for posting something I can read and understand. These excerpts from theses just knock me out. Now I am wondering if we were reading part of Zoe’s thesis…..

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  2. Is the Barbados Bar Association a union of semblance of one? Why as officers of the courts they continue to condone this nonsense by participating in the charade?

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  4. GAZER
    ZOE COMMENTS AND BRINGS SOUND DOCTRINE THAT CAN NOT BE REFUTED
    IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WRITES IT IS BECAUSE YOU LACK THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH.
    IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND JUST ASK
    IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED JUST FORGET WHAT HE SAYS

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  5. Thanks GP.
    The last bullet accurately describes me. But don’t get me wrong, I liked the guy.
    /____________________________________________________________________/

    Have you noticed that there has been an icrease in Bajans who are going before magistrates for stealing food? (I am not about to blame it on lead poisoning). These might be the “canary in the mine shaft”.

    How can we who are outside of Barbados provide help? There must be reliable charities that we can send a monthly donation to.

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  6. We must do a Barbrexit and return to the former system of having a Judicial and Legal Services Commission.Or is it that we have a cabinet and a government that don’t know ‘ b from bull foot’.

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  7. Yes, Gazer we have noticed. There are many charities. How about the Salvation Army? But how about going for the long term effect and setting up a foundation for the development of the young people?

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  8. The Chase Files

    43 mins ·

    Good Morning ‪#‎realdreamchasers‬. Here is your daily newscap.

    BIZZY TO BOOST FOREIGN EXCHANGE – LEADING BUSINESSMAN Ralph “Bizzy” Williams is on a new mission to boost Barbados’ foreign exchange earnings. Williams, who is chairman of William Industries Inc., and an investor in several ventures here and in the Caribbean, is the franchise holder for “global flexible workspace provider” Regus.And having officially opened the first business centre under the Regus brand at One Welches, St Thomas, yesterday, he is planning to “expand the operations all across the Caribbean, [including] Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, St Lucia”. Williams Offices (Caribbean) Limited was established and licensed to do so.“The plan is to earn as much foreign exchange [as possible]. A lot of businesses in Barbados do well in Barbados, but they are not earning foreign exchange all across the region and outside the region. Our plan is to try to maximise the amount of foreign exchange that we could earn and this is one of the plans for doing that,” he said.

    OVER 200 MILLION PAID IN REFUNDS – GOVERNMENT HAS PAID more than $202 million in various refunds to Barbadians, including businesses, over the last year. Speaking in the midst of fresh private sector complaints about tardy tax refunds, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Chris Sinckler said despite its cash flow challenges, Government was being “acutely sensitive to the legitimate lamentations of many businesses”.However, while acknowledging these concerns, Sinckler urged businesses and individuals to also pay their dues to the state. He was speaking during the official opening of The Regus Business Centre, One Welches, St Thomas yesterday.“Over the past year, Government adopted a more assured and aggressive attitude towards dealing with this understandable yet unacceptable situation. This is reflected in the fact that between April 15 [2015] and March 31, 2016, Government paid out roughly $202.2 million in refunds to Barbadians,” the minister said.

    ANOTHER TAX AMNESTY – With a number of Barbadians still awaiting payment of their outstanding tax returns, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Chris Sinckler today called on business operators to pay up outstanding taxes to Government.At the same time, he hinted at the possibility of another tax amnesty while suggesting that Government could fully empathize with those businesses – especially small operators – who were currently feeling the economic strain.“I say that in all seriousness, because the system is interlocked, if one part does not function well enough, then the other part is hobbled, and then we keep shouting at each other,” he said in an address to the official opening of the Regus business centre in Welches, St Thomas this afternoon.However, he assured that Government had no interest in seeing Barbadian businesses go under, while noting, “over the last few years has had amnesties on top of amnesties”.

    REHIRE NCC WORKERS – The National Union of Public Workers (NUPW) said it would settle for nothing less than the reinstatement of the National Conservation Commission (NCC) workers who were severed over two years ago as part of Government’s cost-cutting programme.Chairman of the Employment Rights Tribunal Hal Gollop, QC, yesterday promised to have a decision on the cases brought by the unions representing the workers, the NUPW and the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) by the middle of this month. NUPW President Akanni McDowall said in an interview that the workers were anxiously awaiting the ruling, which was previously promised at the end of June.McDowall said the union wanted no less than the rehiring of the severed employees by the statutory agency.“The only position that I think would be fair to those NCC workers, having gone through such a long period of suffering, would be that of reinstatement. I do not see any other move being credible. If we talk about compensation you cannot in my mind compensate those workers for the type of suffering they would have gone through,” he said. Meanwhile, when asked for a comment on the pending ruling, BWU General Secretary Toni Moore said: “There is nothing to be said at this time. We said everything during the hearings. We are just awaiting the ruling.”

    REDMAN NOT HAPPY – Another case of no consultation by the Ministry of Education, is how President of Barbados Secondary Teachers Union (BSTU) Mary Ann Redman today reacted to plans by Government to expand the curriculum at the Barbados Community College by adding more bachelor’s degree programmes. The BSTU spokeswoman said she received information about the changes like any other person via the press, emphasizing that no correspondence was sent to her union on the matter, as was the previous custom and practice. She said the problem of lack of consultation was now occurring across the board and was of primary concern to the teachers’ representatives who were simply not being consulted on any changes.In the meatime, the BCC is said to be pushing ahead with implementation of bachelor’s degrees in various disciplines, including Arts and Entertainment Management, Applied Health Sciences, Clinical Laboratory Science, Culinary Management, Media & Journalism and Physical Education in time for the 2016-2017 acadamic year. Similar programmes are already available in Pharmacy, Nursing & Fine Arts, with more courses set to be in rolled out at the Eyrie Campus in the distant future.In the meantime, Redman has taken a further dig at the Ministry of Education over its recent decision to dock the pay of teachers who attended two meetings called by the Barbados Union of Teachers (BUT), saying the matter was one that “affects the constitutional right of every Barbadian worker to join a union and having joined a union to be able to meet with that organization to have his/her interest represented”.

    ELDERLY WOMAN RESCUED – An elderly woman who residents said was suffering in silence was rescued by the state today.Just after 11 a.m., National Assistance Board (NAB) officials removed an emaciated 76-year-old Harriet Codrington from her Massiah Street, St John home where she was living with her caretaker Antonio Codrington.The elderly woman, who is blind, willingly made the move to the Geriatric Hospital.“She wanted to move. She seemed to like the idea of moving this morning. She felt at peace, relieved. She left voluntarily and gave us all the assistance we needed,” NAB Chairman Senator David Durant said. It was around 9 a.m. that NAB officials arrived at the home before calling the police to help them gain entry into the wooden structure.

    FISHERMAN PLEADS GUILTY – THE TOOL OF her trade was used to viciously take the life of fishboner Caroline Roberta Forde when her older lover attacked her three years ago.The lovers – Forde, 49, and 72-year-old fisherman Garnett Levere Brome – shared a locker at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex from which $2 450 went missing and set off a deadly confrontation.Some of the chilling facts surrounding the killing of Forde on August 19, 2013, were revealed after Brome, of Six Men’s, St Peter, pleaded guilty to manslaughter yesterday in the No.2 Supreme Court before Justice Michelle Weekes.A far cry from the able-bodied man who appeared originally charged with murder, Brome moved with the aid of a walker and seemed to be in pain. He pleaded guilty to the lesser count which was accepted by Deputy Director of Prosecutions, Donna Babb-Agard, QC.

    CASE THROWN OUT – FOURTEEN YEARS AFTER being charged with rape, a 53-year-old St John man walked out of court a free man yesterday – without even an ounce of evidence being offered against him. And with the prosecutor describing the case as one of “serious antiquity”, Edward Irvin Gibson’s attorney, Queen’s Counsel Andrew Pilgrim, is again calling for an overhaul of the court system.Before Justice Michelle Weekes, presiding over the No. 2 Supreme Court, dismissed the case that was filed against the Zores Land, Martin’s Bay man back in 2002, the court was told the alleged victim had left the country and had no interest in returning to give evidence.Pilgrim told the MIDWEEK NATION afterwards: “It’s just unfortunate that it takes so long for a case to get through the system and even get through now without a trial. It’s even more unfortunate where in this case, Edward was there at every single time that his case was called and was determined to prove his innocence. But at the end of the day, he just had this thing hanging with him for this long.”

    DRUG RESISTANT STRAIN OF BACTERIA FOUND IN BRAZIL – A group of Brazilian scientists have detected a drug-resistant bacteria growing off of some of Rio de Janeiro’s most stunning beaches, one month before the city is due to host the2016 Olympic Games.According to lead researcher Renata Picao, the “super bacteria” entered the city’s waterways when sewage coming from local hospitals got channeled into the bay.“We have been looking for ‘super bacteria’ in coastal waters during a one-year period in five beaches,” Picao told CNN during a visit to her lab. “We found that the threats occur in coastal waters in a variety of concentrations and that they are strongly associated with pollution.”

    ROCK HARD BACKING TRIDENTS – A NEW cement brand has come on board as a major sponsor for the Tridents Pride of Barbados for the Caribbean Premier League. This was confirmed by executive chairman of Rock Hard Cement, Mark Maloney.“ Their consistent performance from the inception of this tournament and the pride they instill in us all when they play are but two of the reasons we decided to support the Tridents Pride of Barbados team,” Maloney said.“This team promises to continue Barbados’ rich cricket history and we are all hoping for a win in 2016, our 50th anniversary of Independence,” Maloney said. The year-long agreement will see the team sport the bright red Rock Hard Cement logo on the chest of the players’ uniforms as well as the tagline Build Stronger on their back. In addition, Rock Hard Cement will be giving away prizes during the home games and offering some fans special Tridents-branded prizes. Tridents Pride of Barbados’ first home match is on July 11 against the Jamaica Tallawahs at Kensington Oval, followed by a game against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on July 13. They will also oppose the Trinbago Knight Riders on July 16 before opposing the St Lucia Zouks the next day.

    PROMOTER APOLOGISES – I AM SORRY! This was the cry from the organiser of Memories: The Story Unfolds, Scott Henry, who said he wanted to be given a second chance.The show on Sunday was to feature characters from Frozen, Spiderman and Iron Man, but the child’s play got off to rocky start from the inception at the Kensington Oval venue as costumes were late and microphones malfunctioned. And following that, all the fun and games stopped after two actors fought on stage; and one ended up calling it quits while on stage. The event was also billed as a Digicel-sponsored event, but chief executive officer of the telecommunications company, Conor Looney, yesterday distanced his company from the event. “Digicel (Barbados) Ltd. wishes to advise that it was not a sponsor of, nor was it involved in any way with, the event Memories, which took place at the Kensington Oval on Sunday, July 3, 2016. Digicel further advises that any use of its logo by the promoter was done without its consent,” he said in a press release.

    JIMMY DAN THE MAN – JIMMY DAN must be fancying his chances to land a semi-finals spot in this year’s Pic-O-De-Crop competition following his performances on Monday night when House of Soca faced the judges. He was one of the calypsonians who had “two songs” and therefore should have impressed the panel as much as he did the audience at the Derrick Smith School and Vocational Trust hall in Lears, St Michael, for what turned out to be a good night of entertainment, if a little long.Dan (Daniel Borman) is an experienced performer. This year he had some ideas and concepts and teamed up with Eric Lewis, that savvy songwriter, for Shaft, which played on Isaac Hayes’ 1971 hit song and the movie by that name.Dressed like the movie character for his stage appearance, he was an attention getter, as was the focus in the actual song.

    Well that’s all for today folks. Have a wonderful Wednesday. 🙂 Shalom <3 ‪#‎thechasefiles‬

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  9. Wait one minute ! just one minute ! and looked within yourselves and those you hold in high esteem including those living in the house of blp party and the leadership before using the measuring stick of character and credibility to knock down any one
    Unless your House is in impeccable order your judgement remains null and void against the moral claims of others
    It is Time the BLP operatives resist and avoid as much as possible being directors of influence pointing fingers on the stage of Morality
    An academy award is not in Your favour as your words and action tell a different story.

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  11. No doubt the BU family noticed that there has been a changing of the guard at the Barbados Bar Association. Woodstock-Riley replaced by Weekes (cannot recall her christian name). She again gave the predictable spiel that she will work with stakeholders to improve the justice system and if t does not work she will turn to the media. The issue the BU household has with her position is – shouldn’t the Bar behave as a ‘continuum of sort’? If her predecessor was collaborating with stakeholders why not leverage to ramp up the pressure?

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    • Isn’t it commonsense that before the Chief Magistrate was promoted her replacement should have been appointed simultaneously? Especially given the fact the Chief Magistrate is authorized to hear cases across districts? In most countries the Attorney General would be held to account.


  12. David
    We seem to have so many white marks against this AG
    1.He witnessed vote buying/selling last General Election.Spoke about it in the press.Up to this day we are unaware of any follow up action.(read: report it to the police)
    2.He accepted the word of the biggest JA in parliament one Menace Lowe,who postured that the Leader of the Opposition,Mia Mottley QC,is not issued with the mandatory LEC,and is therefore not legally entitled to appear before the courts of Barbados as an attorney-at-law.Despite the record that the goodly lady has been admitted to practise her craft in the courts of Barbados since 1987,and in other Caribbean jurisdictions,the supposedly learned AG rushed in where angels feared to tread and offered to look into the matter and make known his findings to the chamber.Once more,nothing has been forthcoming from the AG.
    3.He has failed to inform the PM and the Chief Immigration Officer that the recent Statutory Instrument regarding fingerprinting arriving and departing Barbadians was an unlawful act and offends the constitution.
    4.A resolution to close the compensation matter of the injured nurse engaging the AG is long overdue.Its poor public relations.

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    • @Gabriel

      Do not forget he promised to investigate and report to Parliament on the LOTO’s LEC.

      Sure that you have read about the case of the man whose case was tossed out after 14 years. A man accused of rape mind you. Andrew Pilgrim had a lot to say. Today’s editorial in the Nation adds to the confusion.


  13. What it says also is that there appears to be no succession planning and more importantly,the backwardness of the 1973 change of the constitution to give the authority to the political directorate to appoint judges and senior public servants.
    The Public Service Commission should remain the source of appointments to the Service and a Judicial and Legal Services Commission the source of appointments to the Judiciary,DPP,Solicitor General,Magistracy,Commissioner of Police,of Prisons,of Marshalls,of Probation etc

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  14. @David at 6;14 am, you have your facts slightly muddled.

    MS LIESL WEEKES has replaced Mr TARIQ KHAN as President OF THE BAR ASSOCIATION. Mrs WOODSTOCK-RILEY was Chairman of the DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE.

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  15. @ David
    What caffeine what??!!
    Six is half dozen…. a name is a name….. There are all a bunch of useless clowns who only did Law because they did not have the balls to leave Barbados…or the brains to do a REAL REAL discipline….
    These appointments are mere rotations …so that ‘nobodies’ and ‘nothinarians’ can have some shiite to write on their CV’s when some jackass politician decides to make them a QC, magistrate, or Judge…
    Then the incompetence is perpetuated.

    @ Jeff
    You are a man among men …Boss!!!
    In your shoes, Bushie would be shame as shiite
    ….at the piss poor product of your hard efforts.

    Steupsss
    …at least the Woodstock-Riley one manages to take a decent picture…. unlike most of the other barbarians posing as lawyers…. LOL, ha ha ha …
    …and don’t talk bout Hal!!!
    Shiite…!!!!

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    • Who heard the AG criticizing the Courts for giving Lord Evil bail and not policeman Everton Gittens? We are living in interesting times.


  16. I did David.Another white mark on the man’s CV.He continues to be like the proverbial monkey in Bajan folklore…..the higher up he climb the more he show his a….s,or some would prefer tail.
    Hal Gollop QC,senior attorney,called to the bar in 1994.
    David Commissiong,junior attorney,called to the bar in 1984.
    How come.They are both equally sharp gladiators and never short of words to defend their causes and clients.

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  17. http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2016/07/08/free-lord-evil/

    Not only did Nitwit Adriel open his mouth and managed to fit in both feet, but, he could cause Lord Evil to be free of the murder charges.

    Again, politicians in Barbados need to be trained before they hold any office….they need training, being a lawyer or doctor does not automatically make anyone an intelligent leader…all the politicians are displaying lack of knowledge, very high degrees of ignorance, coupled with arrogance.

    Verla Depeiza is a another prime example of a wannabe politician who should never be a leader.

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