The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A PROMINENT defence attorney is to be sworn in today as justice of the Belize Court of Appeal, The Tribune has learned.

Murrio Ducille, who has been practising law for nearly 40 years, was given notice of the appointment to the bench in the English speaking country nearly two weeks ago. He joins Justice Christopher Blackman who retired from the Bahamas Court of Appeal to serve in that country’s appellate court.

When asked for his reaction to the accomplishment, Mr Ducille told The Tribune: “I’m quite honoured. I think I have something to give and I certainly will serve diligently and to the best of my ability. I’m humbled by the appointment.”

Mr Ducille received his Bachelor of Laws degree with Honours from the University of the West Indies and Certificate of Legal Education from Norman Manley Law School.

He has held various posts over the years, including clerk of the courts for the Parish of Portland; crown counsel in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions in Jamaica; and deputy director of public prosecutions in Jamaica. He was also a recipient of the UN/UNITAR International Law Fellowship to The Hague Academy of International Law (Holland) and was subsequently attached to the United Nations Legal Office in New York.

He also served as a part-time business law lecturer at The College of The Bahamas, and a member of the law faculty at The University of the West Indies.

Mr Ducille currently has a private practice in the Bahamas.

When asked if he would be able to practice law and serve on the bench in a neighbouring jurisdiction, he said: “Everything is about time management.”

“It’s an itinerant court where you have judges from elsewhere who travel and sit on the court. It used to be like this years ago where judges, mainly from Jamaica, used to come here (the Bahamas) and sit three times per year in March, June and October for three weeks.

“It’s nothing more than the ordinary. I have the capacity for work and it won’t be anything over imposing, if you put it that way, nothing that cannot be managed by me. I’m accustomed to hard work and I’ll do justice to the people.”