Society needs to restore its respect, dignity, in the judiciary - Chamber president
The president of the Chamber of Advocates said today that he marvelled at how people were still accepting appointments to the Bench, given the way how the state and society had eroded the respect which was due to judges and magistrates.
Speaking this morning at the opening of the Forensic Year, Dr Andrew Borg Cardona said the remuneration and pension given to judges and magistrates did not match their commitment, responsibilities, qualities and integrity. The bench was also not being treated with the dignity it deserved.
Society, he said, was not giving the Bench due respect. Society expected accountability from the Bench yet it was not ready to give the Bench what was expected of it.
All this, Dr Borg Cardona said, was not the fault of anybody in particular, but it was everybody's fault.
The media allowed criticism from everyone about anything, as if everyone was as learned as the judges. Successive administrations had, over the years, eroded what used to make the Bench attractive for those who held the legal field dear.
Now was the time to declare that enough was enough. The judges could not act like workers who asked for more. Therefore, it was up to society to act.
The Executive and Parliament needed to give a clear signal that the Bench was special. There could be nothing but agreement on the material and real respect which the judiciary should command, Dr Borg Cardona said.
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Peter Bonnici
Oct 2nd 2009, 00:33
The sense of resentment felt by the general public towards the judiciary has not subsided since the judges scandal, clearly, especially because one of the two gentlemen's cases has not been processed yet. ! (its only been 7 years, or?) Perhaps this feet-dragging at the courts is one the greatest reasons why society has lost faith in the bench.
In my world, people who expect better remuneration and more respect have to prove themselves first, and earn it.
Michael Neville Cassar
Oct 1st 2009, 19:58
Respect as others said has to be earned. In the court one hears his name called as if we are in an open market, no speaker system no Close Circuit Camera Vision in the halls. Sentences which do not reflect justice for the victims, political squabbles are acted straight away while others take years to be decided. Sir at the end the system is judged by people of all walks of life they may not be lawyers or be in the court like a judge, but people say it is better to walk in court as a culprit than a victim. Sir those of us who have been waiting since 1990 sentence dragging all these years can have little to say about the system.
michael fenech
Oct 1st 2009, 19:35
Dr. Andrew Cardona,
Do you really expect the Maltese people to have respect to the Bench (only going to mention one) after the last judgement in the VAT scandal.
JF Vassallo Ebejer
Oct 1st 2009, 19:12
No, Dr. Borg Cardona, us poor peasants are no longer willing to hold the Judiciary, or anyone, in awe anymore – those days are long gone.
If the Judiciary expect our respect then they should start by respecting us.
Simple as that…….
Lisa Galea
Oct 1st 2009, 18:58
Does Dr Borg Cardona remember when a member of the then judiciary received a salary for not attending work for years?
Franco Farrugia
Oct 1st 2009, 18:54
@ M. V Cassar - I do not mean to defend anyone, but please mark out a difference between a person's role as Chamber President, and an individual who happens to be a columnist. At least, I hope the person concerned respects the difference between these two hats.
V Cassar
Oct 1st 2009, 18:28
"The media allowed criticism from everyone about anything, as if everyone was as learned as the judges."
.... was he referring to columnists like IM Beck who on a weekly basis honour us with their wisdom and treat anyone of a different opnion with obvious contempt?
C. Farrugia
Oct 1st 2009, 17:44
Respect is earned and not shown by raising salaries. The bench has a long way to go to earn the respect that it should have. First of all working a 40 hour week like all employees are supposed to work. Why is it at after 13:00 the courts are empty and deserted. Why is it that court cases keep on being prolonged for months and years? It is when efficiency reigns in the courts that the people will respect the bench.
Adrian Borg
Oct 1st 2009, 17:05
Wouldn't it be better the other way round?
That the judiciary starts restroing respect and dignity to society by stopping the stupid suspended sentences to every case, whether pety or serious, and starts handing out real sentences?
Marc Cassar
Oct 1st 2009, 17:04
Dear Dr Andrew Borg Cardona,
I once had full respect for the Bench - but that has unfortunately diminished to just 'respect'.
As I am sure you are aware - respect is earned, and not demanded, taken or insisted upon. If the Bench wants my respect, they have to earn it.
One does not have to look far to understand why respect is no longer freely given by the Maltese. Recent rulings and lack of enforced authority are seen on a daily basis. I was raised with many values - but one that will always stick in my mind is that "the law is equal for all" - how about following this old saying?
Franco Farrugia
Oct 1st 2009, 17:02
Members of the Judiciary should appear in public, let alone hold public offices, the least possible.
There is also another matter: the working relationship between the Bench and the Police. Some Police officers complain for not finding cooperation from the Judiciary ... ever since the Judges' scandal erupted, some years ago.
Franco Farrugia
Oct 1st 2009, 17:01
'The media allowed criticism from everyone about anything, as if everyone was as learned as the judges.'
And why not? The Chamber President appears to have spent far too much time away from youngsters. Otherwise, he would certainly know that as time goes by, society asks and asks, and there is no automatic respect. Respect, if anything and if at all, has to be earned, and it does not come from the robe you wear. I speak from a classroom context - where parents and students alike, of whatever grade, will demand explanations regarding results, marks/grades given, and assessments. They ignore the fact that in front of them they have a teacher or lecturer with plenty of years' experience and academic qualifications.
Another matter: with regard to the judiciary, the Chamber President for some reason omitted to mention the harm that some of its members have inflicted on the Bench (recent scandals), and some of them still are, and this, by going against the regulations that have been given to the Bench by the authorities that represent the country - the Government. What explanation for that?
Some sentences that are meted out, also bring about national disapproval.
C. Farrugia
Oct 1st 2009, 16:59
It is surprising how everybody in the Civil Service thinks his category is special. We have the teachers, the doctors, the nurses and now the learned Judges. Everybody says he is special so the salaries can go up skywards. Does the President of the Chamber of Advocates think that the salary pot is infinite. There are limitations in every country and it is by these standards that we should live. I think Dr Borg Cardona forgot the problems we had a couple of years ago with an ex-Chief Justice and another judge. This is how respect is eroded.
Anthony Grech
Oct 1st 2009, 16:58
jien nahseb ili aktar ghadna bzonn li huma juru aktar dinjieta lejn il-poplu milli ahna .
Renald Galea
Oct 1st 2009, 16:40
The Bench has done more than its fair share to erode the trust of the people by having prominent members of the Bench itself acceptbribes in order to 'fix' rulings. Such self-inflicted damage will not heal easily or through a plaintive cry on its behalf.