Wanting more

Reading the report by the Commission for the Administration of Justice (March 26) one finds nothing new but more of the same.

The report calls again for additional judges and magistrates when this has already been done in the past with no noticeable improvement. In my opinion, the report missed one important item which calls on all staff at the law courts to give a day's work. This, of course, includes our judges and magistrates.

The government is implementing a restructuring exercise in many of its entities, calling on workers to show discipline, for sacrifices, and for the shedding of old work practices. Many workers have even forfeited their allowances and overtime. All this is done to have more efficient and viable entities. What about doing the same with the courts?

The commission ignores all this and even our problem of social deficit and calls for the improvement of work conditions of our judges and magistrates when we know that they are not delivering. They lament that their meagre pension of Lm4,000 would have repercussions on their family life after retirement. Is it possible that a salary of Lm17,000 plus perks does not leave them enough to put aside for use after retirement?

After so many years of dissatisfaction with the workings of our courts it seems now clear that the disease has grown into a cancer and is incurable. Pity the public that has to go through years of suffering to have justice done.