A correspondent, doubtless stung at the treatment he received at one of the local tribunals over an alleged traffic contravention, might be informed that he has remedies available to redress an injustice. Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici, Parliamentary Secretary at the Justice Ministry, has solved the problem of the abuses by local wardens when sending summonses by post. Readers might consult the Parliamentary Secretary's Legal Notices 350 of 2004 and 51 of 2005 which place limitations on sending citations by post and which stipulate the procedures mandatory on the sender of these citations. Any irregularities will render these citations ipse jure - null.

The correspondent complains that the hearing of his case was adjourned. He might be interested to know that Section 14 Sub Section 9 of the Commissioners for Justice Act makes it obligatory for the tribunal chairman to hear a case in toto on the day allocated to it. The chairman has no powers to adjourn. This provision was made so that a case is not prolonged, involving extra costs for the "defendant" and a clog in the administration of justice.

Only in the rarest of cases can a tribunal chairman adjourn a case.

I would comment that the correspondent was unfortunate enough to appear before someone who did not need to pass unnecessary, and what he thought might have been humorous, remarks about being "able to afford a hotel bill and therefore the defendant can afford to pay a fine". His remarks should be based on law and not personal opinions of that nature.

As a last resort, an aggrieved individual can oppose the reappointment of a tribunal chairman (normally appointed for two years) under the provisions of the Commission for Justice Act. I personally have been monitoring the performance of a certain tribunal chairman and have every intention of opposing his/her reappointment on the grounds of bias favouring the prosecution, disregard of the procedure on the evidence, denial of the audi alterem principle to defendants and general ignorance of the law.

The correspondent can rest assured that the government is constantly reviewing the system and the issue of the Legal Notices above and referrals to the Petitions Boards point clearly to the government's will to ensure justice for all. The government should now concentrate on the abuses occurring and caused at the Local Tribunals themselves.