Law Assoc explores impeaching CJ

As the growing chorus of condemnation of his conduct in office continues, the Law Association has taken the bold move to retain two senior counsel to advise on whether there are sufficient grounds to petition Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to invoke the impeachment provisions of section 137 of the Constitution to investigate allegations against Chief Justice Ivor Archie.

In an email sent to members, the association’s secretary Elena Araujo said after the advice is received the council will convene a meeting of the general membership to consider it and obtain directions on what steps to take.

According to the notice, association president Douglas Mendes, SC, and senior member Elton Prescott, SC, met Archie on November 30 when the CJ was told of the association’s role to protect the judiciary from unfounded allegations and hold it accountable for its actions.

The notice said Master Christie-Anne Morris-Alleyne was also present.

Archie was informed of the allegations which concerned the association. These were that he discussed the matter of personal security for judges with someone outside of the judiciary and that he recommended people to the Housing Development Corporation for accelerated housing grants.

The CJ was also told by Mendes and Prescott that the allegations against him were considered by the association and civil society to be serious and that his silence up to that point had “most likely” led the public to conclude that there was some truth to them.

He was also told that there have been calls for his resignation since he has failed to respond to the allegations and that the gravity of the allegations and his failure to respond have brought the office of Chief Justice into disrepute and by extension the entire judiciary.

The association has already established a committee to investigate the allegations and Archie was informed of this.

The committee has been given until December 29 to report to the council.

“At the conclusion of the meeting, the Chief Justice said that he would think about the representations made to him,” Araujo told members.

Archie left the country on personal business yesterday, a one-line statement from the judiciary said.

Justice of Appeal Allan Mendonca will perform the functions of the office of the CJ. The Judiciary did not say how long Archie will be out of the country or when he is expected to return.

On Friday, Archie briefly addressed some of the allegations against him, calling “false and irresponsible” the suggestion that he had discussed with his fellow judges the hiring of any private security firm to provide personal security for them, or that he recommended convicted fraudster Dillian Johnson for state housing. He admitted he recommended “some needy and deserving” people to the Housing Development Corporation in 2015, but was adamant that Johnson was not one of them.

The CJ’s admissions and clarifications came the day after the Law Association described his continued silence on the allegations about his conduct as “reckless.”