Attorney General looking forward to seeing ‘the other side’ of justice

A jovial Silvio Camilleri said yesterday that although he was never bored in his job as Attorney General he was looking forward to seeing the other side of the justice system in his new role as Chief Justice.

“I am humbled by the fact that the government decided to choose me out of so many other eligible and capable people for this important role,” he said, pointing out he never served as a judge and, as a lawyer and Attorney General, he was usually placed in a position of criticising judges’ decisions.

He said he was honoured that someone felt he had enough experience for the role but he still had to discover the ins and outs of being a Chief Justice. “I’m sure the other judges, whom I consider to be friends, will help me out,” he said.

Asked about the justice system, Dr Camilleri, 57, said his present role exposed him to only a part of reality and he was now looking forward to see what it was like from the other side of the coin. “Until then, I don’t feel I am in a position to make such a comment,” he replied.

He said the public expected a high grade of correctness from him and, although he was excited with his responsibility, he was aware of the heavy burden that has been placed on his shoulders.

Dr Camilleri’s appointment was officially announced by the government yesterday morning and welcomed by both the Nationalist and Labour parties.

The PN said Dr Camilleri’s long experience and his vast legal knowledge made him an ideal person to occupy such an important post. It thanked outgoing Chief Justice Vincent De Gaetano for strengthening the people’s trust in the judiciary through his seriousness and integrity.

Dr De Gaetano’s resignation as Chief Justice – he will still be a judge – comes into effect on Thursday and on September 20 he assumes his post of judge on the European Court of Human Rights.

The PL also thanked Dr De Gaetano and congratulated Dr Camilleri, pointing out that the judiciary was the third pillar of the state.

Dr Camilleri will be Malta’s 22nd Chief Justice. He graduated as lawyer in 1975 and was called to the bar in 1976. He was appointed Assistant to the Attorney General in 1989 and Attorney General in 2004.