Chamber of Advocates “concerned” at government disregard for Bonello Commission recommendations on appointment of judges and magistrates

Late last night (it pays to be the last one still up sometimes) the Chamber of Advocates issued a statement about the appointment of two judges and two magistrates. This is the full text.

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The Chamber of Advocates congratulates Mag. Miriam Hayman and Mag. Giovanni Grixti in their recent appointment as judges of the Superior Courts and Monica Vella and Joseph Mifsud on their new appointment to the Court of Magistrates. The Chamber would like to take this opportunity to auger them well in their tasks ahead.

The Chamber however expresses its concern at the manner in which the Government has made these appointments without due regard to the recommendations of the Bonello Commission on the reform of the justice system, notwithstanding its apparent commitment to implement as many of the recommendations made by that commission as possible.

The Bonello recommendations on the appointment of members of the judiciary are key in the overall reform to the justice system which the Chamber has on numerous occasions supported and continues to support.

It is the implementation of those recommendations however, which sets the benchmark against which the government’s commitment to reform the justice system will be measured, and not the articulation of words of support.

When the opportunity to implement recommendations for which the government has expressed support, presents itself and is forgone, the level and intensity of the political will and commitment to carry out the reform is, with reason, questioned.

Inadequate regard to important institutional recommendations, which are aimed at enhancing credibility in the judicial system, continues to undermine public confidence in the current judicial system.