Judges' sabbatical leave goes on trial

The dialogue on judges’ entitlement for sabbatical leave was today heard at the trial of a statutory interpretation summons filed by the Attorney General on the issue.

Justice James Aboud has been asked to determine whether a Salaries Review Commission (SRC) recommendation for sabbatical for judges provides them with that facility.

Earlier this year, AG Faris Al-Rawi was instructed by the Prime Minister to take relevant steps to clarify whether there exists any such leave for members of the judiciary after Chief Justice Ivor Archie had applied for sabbatical leave before changing it to vacation leave after controversy stirred over whether he in fact qualified to take sabbatical.

In November, Archie informed then President Anthony Carmona of his plan to go on a sabbatical to, “rest, reflect and study,” on a judicial fellowship in Washington, DC. He was expected to leave in February, but his plans were thwarted when the government took the position that Archie was not entitled to any sabbatical leave under terms of the SRC’s 98th Report.

He instead took vacation.

Justice Aboud, who has said repeatedly he was never part of the committee of judges that looked at the SRC’s recommendation, has reserved his ruling on the issue.