Chief Justice aims to improve efficiency at law courts
Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri said today that his main aim in his new post was to improve efficiency at the law courts.
Dr Camilleri expressed his intention minutes after he was sworn in by President George Abela at the Palace in Valletta.
He said that before taking any decisions, however, he would listen to the views of his colleagues so that this could be a collective effort to improve the situation.
The new Chief Justice was sworn in in the presence of the Prime Minister, Justice Minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici and new Attorney General Peter Grech, who was given his letter of appointment by Dr Mifsud Bonnici an hour earlier.
Also present was former Chief Justice Vincent de Gaetano, who is to become a judge of the European Court of Human Rights.
President Abela underscored the duty of judges to serve justice and to do without undue delay, and congratulated the Chief Justice on his appointment and on his previous service as Attorney General.
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Stephen Farrugia
Sep 10th 2010, 17:52
@ Charles Sammut Norman Lowell can ask for political asylum. What an embarrassment that would be for everyone. After all, he is a victim of total injustice and persecuted for political reasons.
joe galea
Sep 10th 2010, 08:25
so what's new?
promises, promises and more promises.
i would suggest to say nothing before a credible formula is found to this unsolved equation.
when tried and tested we bring it to the press.
in any case we wish the new Chief Justice the best of luck in his new post and please chew on this..............justice is blind but do not close your eyes
joe the plumber
Amelia Camilleri
Sep 10th 2010, 07:30
This promise was made before and I thought we might see the conclusion to our 17 year old court case. Unfortunately to date we are still waiting for this famous conclusion.
Anthony Farrugia
Sep 10th 2010, 07:04
Ma nafx ta' min hi ir-responsabilta li jara li f'postijiet publici bhal fil-palazz tal-President kollox jidher 'in order' u kif suppost. Dawk ix-xema li hemm fil-kandilabri u jidru f'dan ir-ritratt ma jistghawx jigu rangati naqra dritti u sura ta' nies, mhux kollox jghaddi ghalina. Dan hu post importanti fil-pajjiez, u dawn in-naqriet ghandom jigi nutati wkoll, nuqqas ta' nteress dan.
David Saliba
Sep 9th 2010, 22:07
OK so things don't always go as one would expect. Nevertheless aren't we putting the cart before the horse here ! Give the man the chance. Lets judge by his milestones. The out going Chief Justice Dr DeGaetano managed to restore integrety, justice and trust. (Suffice to mention these as being just a few). Now that these foundations have once again been reinforced, lets help Chief Justice Camilleri in fulfilling his promise by doing our own duty.
Chief Justice Camilleri - sincere good luck !
O.Tretyak
Sep 10th 2010, 08:55
I love your optimism, David! Never lose it.
You brought smile on my face :-))
We all have high hopes, and new Chief Justice bears huge responsibility for those hopes.
Once he said about some decision “Certainly, I am in no position to say whether this decision was a mistake or not – I am not here to pass judgement on what my predecessor did. I have no doubt he made this decision to the best of his ability, based on the evidence before him, and true to his conscience… we’re also open to scrutiny and criticism, and if people disagree they are free to do so.”
Personally, I have high hopes for his ability and conscience. He has to improve much more than efficiency.
H Galea
Sep 9th 2010, 20:42
Mr Justice, can we be called in time without delays, and have a few machines for express coffees, we do need these badly.
mario mifsud
Sep 9th 2010, 18:18
Sorry mr Chief Justice YOU ARE LATE
someone else made that promise years ago and today there is no need for such a declaration. The law courts are already efficient
Charles Sammut
Sep 9th 2010, 15:00
So are we to expect a sentence in Norman Lowell's constitutional appeal within our lifetime?
C Grech
Sep 9th 2010, 13:55
You cannot inprove efficiency if the effficiency does not exist. T- tkaxkir tas-saqqajn irid jitnehha ghax dan disrispett lejn l-poplu u anki lejn il-gustizzja.
O.Tretyak
Sep 9th 2010, 14:35
It exists!
In skin-dipping cases.
Or when they hurry to make a decision against a person before he finds out that there is a hearing against him.
Jesmond Micallef
Sep 9th 2010, 13:38
I congratulate Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri on his prestigious nomination within the Laws Courts of the Republic of Malta and also wish Chief Justice Vincent de Gaetano, who is to become a judge within the European Court of Human Rights all the very best. May these two distinguished people lead with diginified example both in Malta and abroad in the safegaurding Civil Order, Justice and the Law.
O.Tretyak
Sep 9th 2010, 13:11
Running after the speed, do not forget the quality.
Human rights for fair hearing.
Criminal Courts make decisions without defense lawyer being present. Civil Courts make decisions (this including my case too) against person without even notifying him of a hearing against him . And then Constitutional Court will take 5 years to rule that even the fact is proved that person was not served with official notification, he could be more active, and if he would be checking himself in the Court Registry, he could find out that there is a hearing against him. So, if the hearing was registered in Court Registry its the person's own fault that he did not discover it, therefore his Human Right for Fair Hearing was not broken.
What kind of procedures are that?
Or only efficiency that counts?
John Micallef
Sep 9th 2010, 12:58
About time ! Just to make a short note the great law courts of malta cannot even keep a paper trail for my sons passport which was deposited in court and guess what .......has went missing..........ridiculous
Paul A Vella
Sep 9th 2010, 12:33
Action speaks louder than words, let's just hope there is more to this than empty words or promises!!
l fenech
Sep 9th 2010, 13:41
I could not agree with you more, well put.
Victor
Sep 9th 2010, 12:28
Congrats to the New Chief Justice. He will sure maintain his words to improve effeciency at Law Courts.
Charles Sammut
Sep 9th 2010, 16:28
But won't every defendant who was prosecuted by Dr Silvio Camilleri Attorney General, object to having their case/appeal heard by Chief Justice Dr Silvio Camilleri? Hasn't he shot himself in the foot just before the race? Or rather, whoever appointed him shot him in the foot before setting him off.
Joseph Camilleri
Sep 9th 2010, 17:06
@ Charles Sammut: Not at all. What will happen is that in cases in which he has been involved as prosecutor he will abstain and be replaced by another judge. This is what always happens - why should this be any different?