THE RESIDENT Magistrates' Association (RMA) has said that its members are sworn to administer justice without fear or favour, and are guided by those principles in dispensing justice.
The association was responding yesterday to the ongoing debate sparked by remarks made by Senator Dorothy Lightbourne in the Senate on May 16.
Ms. Lightbourne had asserted, during a heated debate on the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), that RMs gave rulings in favour of the Government, so as to improve their chances of being appointed to the Supreme Court.
Minster of Justice and Attorney-General A. J. Nicholson, Q.C., described Senator Lightbourne's comments as scurrilous and threatened to report her to the General Legal Council for the comments.
The Resident Magistrates' Association issued the following statement yesterday: "The Resi-dent Magistrates' Association feels constrained to issue the following, in light of continuing debate and recent newspaper editorials regarding the perception that magistrates are compromised in making decisions because of fear that it will affect their promotion.
"The Resident Magistrates' Association wishes to state categorically that magistrates are sworn to administer justice, without fear or favour, and we are indeed guided by these principles in dispensing justice.
"We are professionals committed to this principle and administer justice based on the law and facts as presented.
"As the body representing the magistrates, we believe it is timely to reaffirm the independence of the judiciary from political interference or partisan politics.
"We wish to assure the public, the members of the profession, litigants, and all those who interact with the courts daily of our commitment to the highest professional standards and pledge to remain dedicated to the oath we have taken to serve without fear or partiality."
Responding to the statement last night, Senator Lightbourne said that she totally agrees with all that is said by the RMA, as her concern was that RMs should have the same level of security of tenure as judges of the Supreme and Appeal Courts to remove the possibility of them having "to look over their shoulders".
"The position of the RMs will be strengthened if they have the security of tenure of which I spoke and their appointments and transfers done in a more transparent manner and this is the subject of a resolution I brought to Parliament which now needs to be discussed, urgently," Senator Lightbourne said.
