NACTA poll: Limited Judiciary confidence linked to CJ issues

A North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) opinion poll conducted last month found only 27 per cent of Trinidadians have confidence in the Judiciary. This, they said, has been linked to issues involving Chief Justice Ivor Archie.

"Respondents said his actions (allegedly) seeking political favours for friends have compromised the independence of the Judiciary as a separate branch of government. People said he has brought the Judiciary into a state of disrepute and that it would be best if he were to demit office to restore some level of confidence in the court. Some people feel a judge should serve in the court for a limited period so as to reduce the chance of him or her being compromised."

NACTA in a release said the 27 per cent confidence in the court is lower than the percentage (31 per cent) of the population who approve of the performance of the government, but much higher (17 per cent) among those who have faith in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

"People have greater faith by 10 per cent in the TT (appeal) court system than the CCJ. If a referendum were to be held on whether the nation should assent to the CCJ as its final court of appeal, replacing the Privy Council, the vote would fail by a landslide."

NACTA continued: "Virtually no TT lawyer, including those who practice before the CCJ, have expressed any support for the court. Lawyers feel if the CCJ’s decision were allowed an appeal at the Privy Council in London, many of its rulings would have been overturned. Some lawyers say the CCJ’s judges have not developed strong courage to reject political influence of their elected bosses."

NACTA said the findings mark the lowest level of confidence people have had in court system of the nation and the region.