Nassau, Bahamas – Senator the Hon. John Delaney Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs described the Supreme Court refurbishment project as “unprecedented” and said it is only one aspect of the Government’s commitment.
“This amount of commitment to the high court and to the magistracy is entirely unprecedented in our lifetime,” said Mr. Delaney. “This is only one aspect of the Government’s commitment. We’ve restructured the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the management of Public Prosecutions and expanded the Law Reform Commission to a more suitable premises.”
Furthermore, the Attorney General said another initiative by the Government was to assign additional counsel to the Law Reform Revision Commission. “ For the first time we’ve put in a career path for counsel who aspire to have a career in legislative drafting and reform by putting in a new post of Deputy Law Reform Revision Commissioner. There is a progression of persons who might be providing laws so they can see themselves all the way up to becoming a Law Reform and Revision Commissioner.”
Mr. Delaney, along with Permanent Secretary Archie Nairn, toured renovations to the former Hansard Building and criminal trial rooms in the Ansbacher Building, located in Bank Lane on Wednesday, December 1.
Mr. Delaney said the former Ansbacher Building is “nicely” situated for the purposes of the judiciary and is among the traditional Supreme Court buildings.
The Government acquired the Ansbacher House at a cost of $8.5 million. When renovations are completed, the building will continue to house Supreme Court registries, but will also house criminal and civil trial rooms, an exhibit store, which Mr. Delaney described as a secure room where exhibits for trial are safely kept.
“When finished this building will house modern, state-of-the-art court rooms – 5 civil trial rooms and 2 criminal trial rooms, a jury room, judges chambers/lounge, police quarters, robing room for lawyers,” he said.
According to Emmit White project manager of Sunco Developers renovations have been going “rather smoothly and on schedule”. Construction is set to be complete by July 2011. Twenty-five persons are employed on the project. To date structural changes on the exterior and complete demolition to create two court houses on the ground floor are among the renovations.
Renovations to the former Hansard Building are expected to be complete by April 2011. In its entirety the Hansard Building will be a court room providing both judges chambers, and a trial room on the ground floor.
“The major purpose was to invest in the judiciary, but we’re very mindful of the historical and touristic content and that is especially true when we speak to the Hansard Building. This is done in conjunction with the Historical Society and the Antiquities and Monument Museum Agency.
Article Written by: Mrs. Tanya Cash
Email: tanya_cash@hotmail.com
8th December, 2010
Please allow me to express my very serious concerns and opinions in your wonderful forum.
Judges Of The Bahamas Courts Being Illegally
Appointed!
Judges of The Bahamas are being Illegally Appointed, to our Courts, despite former Supreme Court Justice John Lyons’ Ruling of A.D., 2006, that The Executive of The Bahamas, ‘Broke the Law’, by not Appointing a Commission (Independent), in 2003, and 2006, to review ‘The Remuneration of Judges’ Salaries, and Pensions Act’ which makes the Judiciary of The Bahamas beholden to the executive, and therefore, making the Judiciary of The Bahamas unconstitutional, not independent and not impartial.
And that Cabinet has plunged the Nation, into a
‘Constitutional Crisis’.
Justice Lyons Further Ruled That:
1)If my arguments hold, all the judges now are no
longer independent, they cannot, as things
presently stand, fulfill their Constitutional Oath
and deliver a fair trial by an Independent
Tribunal.
2)If the Judge (and collectively the Judiciary) is no
longer independent, then they cannot as things
presently stand, fulfill their Constitutional oath
and deliver a fair trial by an independent
tribunal.
3)…And that any Trials heard by any Judge then must
fail, as unconstitutional.
4) That remains so until the judge (and collectively
the Judiciary) is restored to Independence…….by an
Amendment to The Constitution. That amendment must
be in terms that they constitutionally give back
the right removed.
5) That by hearing a trial, the integrity of the
process (not to mention the trial judge), would be
in shreds. That this would reflect, as it must, on
the integrity of the whole Judiciary.
6) The independence of the Judiciary is protected by
the constitution, but that the Judiciary has been
stripped of its independence, because the
executive broke the law, and this very serious
problem which can only be corrected by ‘A
Constitutional Amendment’ (that a referendum would
have to be called by the executive), and not by
legislation, nor by The Judiciary.
When Justice Lyons made this very shocking ruling, he adjourned that matter, shut down his Court room, refused to hear any other matter, and returned to Nassau until the Executive, corrected this very serious problem.
The Executive Has Yet To Call A Referendum
To date, however, four (4) years later, the government/executive of The Bahamas, continues to disobey Justice Lyons’ Ruling, and refuses to correct this very serious problem, by calling a Referendum to amend The Constitution of The Bahamas, as it relates to our Judiciary.
Yet Our Courts Are Still Operating
Despite Justice Lyons’ Ruling:
a) Our Courts are still operating, as if all is well.
b) Judges are still being appointed, to both The
Supreme Court, and The Court of Appeal.
c) Governor General, Sir Arthur Foulkes, is still
swearing in these individuals, as judges.
Yes, our Governor General, who, before becoming Governor General, also agreed with Justice Lyons’ ruling, while harshly, but rightly criticizing the former Administration (PLP).
Please see: The Bahamas Pundit on
‘Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law in the Bahamas’
By Sir Arthur Foulkes
Please also see: The Bahamas Blog International
On Justice John Lyons Ruling:
FNM said…the negligence of the Christie Administration has precipitated a “national crisis”
Please also see The Bahamas Blog International:
‘Supreme Court Justice John Lyons Accused The Bahamas Government of ignoring and breaking the law’.
The Attorney General Appealed Lyons’ Ruling, but
later Withdrew The Appeal
The Executive, and the Attorney General at that time strongly disagreed with Justice Lyons’ ruling and with some even stating that Lyons’ ruling was only about money.
No! Lyons ruling was mainly about the rule of law.
The Attorney General subsequently appealed Justice Lyons’ ruling to The Court of Appeal.
However, on the day for the hearing of the Appeal,in The Court of Appeal, the Attorney General’s Office, shockingly, withdrew its Appeal.
The question then is, if The Attorney General disagreed with Justice Lyons’ Ruling, why then did The Attorney General withdraw the Appeal, and with no known cause to the public?
Full details as to the reasons for the withdrawal of the AG’s Appeal, however, has yet to be disclosed, nor published on the Court of Appeal’s Website.
Cases To Be Greatly Affected By Justice Lyons’ Ruling
There should be very grave concerns, due to Justice Lyons’ Ruling, as cases heard in the Courts of The Bahamas since A.D. 2003, would be greatly affected, and could even be overturned, on Appeal.
The Following, are some cases heard in The Courts of The Bahamas, that would be greatly affected, by Justice Lyons’ Ruling:
1. Cases Heard in The Magistrate’s Courts
2. Cases Heard in The Supreme Court
3. Cases heard in The Court of Appeal
4. Criminal Cases, including Murder Trials, Rape
Matters, Robbery Trials etc…
5. Civil Cases, including matters against The
Government of The Bahamas.
6. Cases Heard in Grand Bahama
7. Union Matters.
8.The Grand Bahama Port Authority Court Matter.
9. The Election Court Trials.
10. The Elizabeth Court Trial
11. The Arawak Homes Property Matter, As It Relates
To The Dispute of The Real Property Owners.
Some of these cases also include International
Matters, like:
1) The Anna Nicole Trial
2) The John Travolta Trial
3) The Matter Of The Barefoot Bandit
4) The Attempted Murder and Armed Robbery Trial
of New Jersey Cop
5) The Matter of The American Man, Beating Our
Police Officers, On Bay Street
6) The Victor Kozeny Trial
7) And So Many Other Matters
Why Certain Court Decisions Were Made In
International Cases
You ever wonder why certain decisions are made, even as it relates to International Matters?
Yes, to keep the International Spotlight, the International Media, from shining brightly on The Bahamas Judiciary!
Wake Up, Bahamas
Before we are the ones who have to face and suffer the consequences for the actions of our Leaders, who continue to do whatever they wish, defying and violating the rule of law!
Please See: The Bahamas, The Next Turks AND Caicos’, on Bahamas Issues and Bahamas Press, or on my face book @ TanyapreciousangelofGodCash.
Wake Up Bahamas,Before It Is Too Late!!
Mrs. Tanya Cash(A Very Concerned Citizen,House-
Wife, and Mother)
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