Amid the controversy last week involving High Court judge Justice Frank Seepersad, senior legal members of the Judiciary who are close to him said he has a broad back and has done his job to the best of his ability.
However, they said like most professionals in the judicial system, they strongly believed that the Judiciary is the only institution in the country that is working despite its many flaws. “From the time public confidence is lost, it’s best we start killing each other in the streets. That’s where we are heading...on the brink of anarchy,” one senior officer said.
Another member said there was a level of irresponsibility by the media which could further erode the public’s confidence in the Judiciary as an institution. “People are not thinking and not looking at the facts. The media should not be legitimising comments off of social media. That type of discussion is so irresponsible.”
Concerns were raised last week after a third case against the State appeared before Seepersad and his ability to speedily deliver a judgment in a late-night hearing. Two of the cases in which he ruled were overturned in the Court of Appeal. In December 2014, Seepersad granted an emergency injunction to freeze SIS’s assets.
He also delivered a landmark judgment against the People’s Partnership in the Invaders Bay matter brought by Afra Raymond. It was upheld by the Court of Appeal. Another officer said nobody should tell a judge how to engage his professional obligations in a way that is effective and efficient. Each judge is assigned a judicial research officer and judicial support officer to assist in preparing judgments.
“Justice Seepersad has a strong work ethic and is able to deliver written judgments in no time. Just look at the case involving calypsonian Fya Empress (Lornette Nedd-Reid) during Carnival. That was a late-night judgment but there were no questions on how he did it then?” Another senior officer said before jumping to conclusions, the public needed to understand that there were processes for the manner in which things are done. “Disagree with the judgment, say you don’t understand the logic of the judgment, but don’t criticise the judge. Social media is getting to the stage where people feel they could say a judge is biased...that is criminally actionable by way of contempt.”
Another officer who said he knew Seepersad as a young attorney said he has always been fearless. “Since he became a judge he has done his job to the best of his ability. He doesn’t have a closet filled with skeletons for him to be fearful nor is he prepared to have his reputation tarnished and more importantly the Judiciary, as a body, tarnished.”
