PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Jun 02 2017 – The Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago (LATT) Thursday night passed a motion of no confidence in Chief Justice Ivor Archie in a move that could have further ramifications for the judiciary.
Archie, who became the youngest Chief Justice here after he was appointed in January 2008, had come under criticism following the controversy over the appointment and subsequent resignation of former chief magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar to the High Court earlier this year.
LATT president Douglas Mendes, SC, told reporters that while the vote was merely the legal fraternity expressing its opinion on the issue, the motions did not constitute impeachment proceedings against the Chief Justice, which can only be initiated by the Prime Minister.
But Senior Counsel Martin Daly told reporters following the historic vote that he expected Archie and other members of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) do the “honourable thing” and immediately resign.
“If people lose confidence in you, it does not mean that you have committed a constitutional wrong, but rather that you have conducted yourself in such a way that you’ve destroyed people’s confidence in you and you cannot continue to preside,” Daly said.
Opposition legislator Gerald Ramdeen, who has been at the forefront of the criticism of Archie and the JLSC said he was pleased with the outcome.
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