The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ joke about going home to prepare stew fish when he was faced with questions on appointing a substantive chief justice drew criticism from Official Opposition Leader Philip “Brave” Davis who called it hypocritical yesterday.

On Wednesday, Dr Minnis remained silent when he was faced with questions about why he has not appointed anyone to the post.

However, as he made his exit following a Free National Movement memorial in honour of former parliamentarian Theresa Moxey-Ingraham, Dr Minnis joked: “Only thing I plan on doing right now is getting home and go do my stew fish.”

He has never spoken publicly about the appointment.

Yesterday, for a second time, he remained silent on the issue.

Outside of the House of Assembly yesterday, Mr Davis called into question Dr Minnis’ transparency of the chief justice appointment process.

“It just characterises the whole hypocrisy of the prime minister,” Mr Davis said in response to the prime minister’s remark.

“At the end of the day he campaigned on the twin pillars of transparency and accountability, but yet still he shuns being accountable.

“At the end of the day when you are in government there are things that you have to keep close to your chest. There are things that are not made public in the interest of having to achieve certain goals, but he didn’t know that.

“Now he’s now recognising that yes, we have to be transparent, yes we have to be accountable, but there are limits in transparency in governance and there’s limits in accountability in government.”

Dr Minnis appointed Senior Supreme Court Justice Stephen Isaacs as acting chief justice last December.

Critics have said it is unusual to appoint someone acting chief justice while the substantive position is unfilled.

Among those who have been critical of Dr Minnis are several Queen’s Counsels, including Wayne Munroe, Maurice Glinton and Alfred Sears. The Tribune understands some justices of the Supreme Court have also grumbled about the matter.

Attorney General Carl Bethel, however, has said appointing an acting chief justice while the substantive position is not filled is not unprecedented. Under a Progressive Liberal Party administration, Sir Denis Eustace Gilbert Malone was acting chief justice from September 10, 1983 to December 31, 1983.

Multiple sources have said Dr Minnis wants to appoint Mr Bethel as chief justice, although some in the Minnis administration have dismissed this as “speculation.”