The matter covered by Barbados Underground for more than a decade between Sir Richard ‘Johnny’ Cheltenham versus Everton Cumberbatch continues to play on the civic minded among us- see BU Archives. The blogmaster has a problem with a very senior lawyer AND elder of the governing Barbados Labour Party (BLP) continuing to be selected for important national appointments while a serious complaint is pending with the Disciplinary Committee (DC). It is instructive to note the DC is blocked from doing its work- if it had any intention of doing so- because Cheltenham has been granted an injunction pending the completion of an application of a judicial review as reported in the Nation as follows:
Sir Richard granted injunction
THE DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE OF THE BAR Association has been slapped with an injunction sought by senior attorney Sir Richard Cheltenham pending the completion of an application for judicial review.
The injunction was granted in the matter between Sir Richard and the Disciplinary Committee, filed under the Administrative Justice Act, the Legal Profession Act and pending an application by Sir Richard for judicial review.
It was heard in chambers by Justice Olson Alleyne.
The draft order states that the Disciplinary Committee, its agents or servants are restrained from hearing Complaint 31 of 2020 pending the trial and final determination of the Sir Richard’s application for judicial review filed on March 10, 2023.
The hearing of the substantive claim has been referred to a judge of the civil court.
NATION NEWSPAPER
The blogmaster has no issue with Cheltenham having his ‘day in court’ BUT civic minded Barbadians everywhere must ask ‘how long is too long’ when a justice system is too slow to deliver justice. To reiterate a simple point – Richard ‘Johnny’ Cheltenham should not be appointed to national duty until the judicial review is discharged by the Barbados Courts. Even if our governance system that is gripped by process finds legal reason to repel the argument of a lowly blogmaster, there is a moral minimum Prime Minister Mia Mottley should observe if she professes to run a transparent government. The blogmaster’s position is the same as i was with Peter Odle when he was appointed Chair of the Board of the Barbados Port Inc – see relevant BU links.
Unlike the majority of Barbadians who have been labelled a people with short memories the same is not true for the blogmaster of Barbados Underground. The blogmaster is asking the Bajan blogosphere (social media space) to rally by keeping this matter on the front burner, do not allow the manipulators of the system to win this one. We know traditional media will NOT risk upsetting the establishment. There is too much at stake, we have to fight for our democracy where the interest of the people must be allowed to reign supreme
The blogmaster invites you to join the discussion.