AG: We need more judges

ATTORNEY General Faris Al-Rawi on Monday declared, “we have recognised that we need more judges.” He made this declaration in the Senate while opening debate on a bill to amend several pieces of legislation, including legislation which governed the way the Judicial and Legal Services Commission appoints judges.

Saying he received letters from the Law Association requesting consultation on this matter, Al-Rawi said the Association will be given, “ a short opportunity to fulfill its promise to give us consultative response by July 6.”

With 29,000 cases at the preliminary enqury stage in the magistrates court, Al-Rawi said the bill proposes increase the judicial complement from 49 to to 61 judges.

He observed that, “if you took every single judge in the high court and put them only to do murder trials from now till they are completed, it will take ten years to do that.” Against this background, Al-Rawi said, “I prefer to err on the side of a greater judicial complement.”

However, he explained this would require an amendment to the Constitution. Al-Rawi doubted the Opposition was prepared to support any legislation which needed a three-fifths majority for passage. Noting he cannot compel the Law Association to consult with him, Al-Rawi said many times it does not do so when he requests consultation.

While Government will always listen to stakeholders, Al-Rawi said the Association must remember the Parliament’s work, “stands on the order paper.”

Comparing this bill with Family and Children’s Court legislation, Al-Rawi was astounded that the Association, “can approve on hand and not approve on the other hand.” Leader of Government Business Franklin Khan subsequently adjourned the Senate.

In a matter on the adjournment, Al-Rawi slammed the People’s Partnership (PP) for doing nothing on prison reform. He said Government has reconvened the Mercy Committee which never sat under the PP.

Independent Senator Sophia Chote SC told A-Rawi she was a member of the committee at that time and it held several meetings. Al-Rawi accepted her comment but said his records showed the committee did not meet. On another matter, National Security Minister Edmund Dillon reiterated Government’s confidence that the Anti-Gang legislation will yield the success it never did under the PP.