Dr. Abdulai Conteh, Chief Justice of Belize
I cannot help but mention the need for financial resources and other support for the system of administration of justice in Belize. It has always been a concerned lament of mine, stretching back almost a decade. I have always done so, not with any malice, attitude, or with intention to give offence, but to state the evident fact. I therefore say that no offence is intended if I state that last year was no exception in the allocation of resources to the judiciary.
Wilfred Elrington, Attorney General
My Lord I have been aware that persons at last year’s opening ceremony who took offence at some of the things I said in that presentation. And I wish on this occasion to express my deepest regret that I was the cause of offence to anyone on that occasion. That was never my intention and I humbly beg that any unhappy remark I made be attributed solely to inadvertence, ignorance and perhaps inexperience.
That was a reversal from last year’s comments when one side lamented on the lack of resources and the other side said that the members of the judiciary were the best paid public officers in the land. But not to stray from the crooks of the matter, the issue that started the whole debate was money. The total amount allocated for the judiciary for 2009 was seven million and ninety-two dollars or one point zero three percent of the total national budget. But if that was not bad enough, Elrington said this year will be leaner. This year’s budget calls for a ten percent decrease from that figure. It’s a symptom of the recession and an unhealthy economy, trickling to a sector that the CJ believes should not be denied the resources if it is to carry out its work effectively. Marion Ali for News Five.
The five attorneys who were elevated to the status of senior counsel are Lisa Shoman, Hubert Elrington, Antoinette Moore, Nicholas Dujon, Godfrey Smith and Andrew Marshalleck. More on the opening of the Supreme Court later in the newscast.
CH5

---