Law Assoc gets report on Archie

An interim report of the five-member committee of the Law Association into the conduct of Chief Justice Ivor Archie was handed over to the association’s council yesterday. Up to late yesterday, the committee was locked in a meeting to finalise the interim report. This report is also expected to be sent to the two senior counsel retained by the association to advise on whether there are sufficient grounds to petition the Prime Minister to invoke the impeachment provisions of section 137 of the Constitution to investigate Archie’s conduct.

The committee was given until December 29 to report back to the association’s council on its investigations. After receiving the advice from the two senior counsel, the council is expected to discuss the recommendations and take them to the association’s membership. The council is expected to meet next week.

The report and the retainer for advice were commissioned by the association earlier this month after its president Douglas Mendes, SC, and senior member Elton Prescott, SC, met with Archie to express their concern over the growing condemnation of his actions in office and to inform him of an intent to probe the allegations against him. These include claims that he sought to expedite HDC housing for certain individuals and that he discussed judges’ security with a third party. He has denied the allegations, although admitting he has from time to time recommended people for HDC housing. The two SCs retained were Eamon Harrison Courtenay, a former AG of Belize, and president of the Grenada Bar Association Francis Alexis. Courtenay is also a former president of the Belize Bar Association, while Alexis, who has been active in Grenadian politics since 1983, is also a former AG.

In an e-mail sent to members earlier this month, the association’s secretary Elena Araujo said after their advice is received, the council will convene a meeting of the general membership to consider it and obtain directions on what steps to take. Mendes and Prescott met with 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.

Court Administrator Master Christie-Anne Morris-Alleyne was also at the meeting. Archie was informed of the allegations, and Mendes and Prescott also told him the allegations against him were considered serious by the association and civil society and that his silence up to that point had “most likely” led the public to conclude there was some truth to them. Archie is out of the country on personal business.