Governor approves CJ’s service on Bermuda’s appeals court
Chief Justice Anthony Smellie
(CNS): Governor Anwar Choudhury has given Chief Justice Anthony Smellie his approval to serve on the Court of Appeal of Bermuda. Officials said that he will make his debut appearance on the appeals panel in June, when he will be away from office in the Cayman Islands on leave, and that similar arrangements will be in place for his subsequent sessions in Bermuda. CJ Smellie was appointed to what will be his first international bench position following the recommendation of the Judicial and Legal Services Committee in Bermuda.
Smellie has served as a judge in the Cayman Islands since 1993 and was made chief justice in 1998. He was one of two justices chosen from more than two dozen applicants. The other was Justice Elizabeth Gloster, the vice president of the Court of Appeal in England and Wales. They will join three other senior judges on the islands’ appeals court.
In a release from the governor’s office in Bermuda, Governor John Rankin said he was pleased to make the appointments. “Bermuda is fortunate to be able to attract such distinguished jurists to maintain the quality of our Courts, providing service at the highest possible level for the people of Bermuda,” he said.
Category: Caribbean, Courts, Crime, World News
Congrats CJ. Stop being jealous of our CJ.
Dear CNS – do you track the number of negative comments versus positive comments post to your website?
It would be insightgul for many to know just how much of a dumping ground for negativity and devisive commentary these “blogs” are.
Please stop it. If people disagree with you oh high and mighty One, they disagree.
Get over yourself, FFS.
They aren’t “blogs” they are articles
And most government jobs are thankless
Everyone knows we (we being humans as a collective group) are more likely to make a negative comment than a positive one
Point is
Stop acting like there is anything new, or particularly wrong with people being negative
They are the general public they don’t have to be objective
Their comments don’t indicate the state of CNS as a outlet they indicate the dissatisfaction with the status quo in this jurisdiction and around the world
People want to speak their minds and on an island as small as Cayman you cannot do that properly without fear of retribution or backlash
Of course from the tone of your comment you seem like the type who would prefer the least amount of information being spread as possible
I believe the saying is “keep them dumb, keep them under your thumb” same reason why some conservatives demean and decry tertiary education
Are we paying him too while he is working in Bermuda?
Did you read the story? He will be on leave.
Paid or unpaid?
Congratulations to Mr Smellie. It is a well deserved honour for one of the hardest working chief justices anywhere.
My gratitude to Mr Smellie for devoting his life to civic duty when he could be making millions in the private sector.
One day people like these will be recognized for their service to such noble causes.
Hats off to him.
If he has spare time, why not use it to tackle Cayman’s overcrowded court docket? We could send him an extra paycheck as well as Bermuda.
Give the guy a break. He deserves his leave and should be free to decide how to spend his leave.
The “overcrowded docket” is due to lack of available accommodations at the courts. All available facilities are being put to use.
The CJ has been trying for years like a voice crying in the wilderness to expand the court facilities, beyond retrofitting and drafting available neighborhood amenities.
The locals don’t want to pay income tax so they cannot complain about the inability to respond to their criminals.
You wouldn’t ask that 11:39 am if you knew that the CJ remains at his desk way into the evening each week day and is religiously at his desk on Saturdays. His work likely dips into his Sundays as well.
If you checked his hours you would likely find that his work year amounts to around 75 weeks or more rather than the 52 for most ordinary mortals.
I can vouch for this as well. This work ethic is one of the many reasons he is suited to contribute as an appellate judge and also one of the many reasons he can do this extra role without any negative impact on the administration of justice in Cayman. For a Chief Justice at his level of seniority, at this point in his career, appointment to the appeals court of another territory or a crown dependency, is entirely expected and deserved. Not to mention an Acting Chief Justice is always appointed here from among the other excellent judges. The CJ may have been doing the job for 21 years (which might as well make him the Queen compared to our 3-4 year governors and 4 year premiers), but the system can continue without him for a few weeks.