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Herrera says people 'queuing up' to change judges presiding their cases
Labour MP Josè Herrera said that a ‘long queue’ of applicants are calling on the Chamber of Advocates to have their judges changed over delays in judgements.
2 December 2011, 12:00am
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Karl Stagno-Navarra
1 min read
Labour MP Josè Herrera says the unjustified delays of certain members of the judiciary have resulted in queues of people demanding a recusal of their cases.
Labour MP Jose Herrera has stated in parliament that long queues of people are requesting the Chamber of Advocates to process their applications to have the judges and magistrates presiding their cases changed.
Addressing the House this morning as parliament debates the financial estimates that fall under the ministry for justice and home affairs, Jose' Herrera said that since the Chamber of Advocates announced it was willing to help people overcome unjustified delays for judgement by changing the presiding judge, this was "clear evidence of a massive crisis in the judicial system."
Herrera said that it was unacceptable that some 1,000 court cases have been awaiting judgement for more than 18 months, with one having been deferred for final decision since 2004.
He criticised justice and home affairs minister Carm Mifsud Bonnici for the way judges and magistrates are being appointed, and stressed that as minister he must assume the political responsibility of the under-performing members of the judiciary he appointed.
Without mentioning any names, Jose' Herrera said that a "few" members' of the judiciary are not performing and it was odd that government preferred to let things be rather than reform or address the matter.
He said that there is a serious problem in the quality of those who are being appointed to the benches, and added that it is high time that the concept of security of tenure for the judiciary should be revised.
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It's the same everywhere. A dormant Civil Service because of the appointment of under-performing blue Directors and other top posts, blue-eyed CEOs swallowing huge salaries and performance bonuses without having no performance to show for, judges who have slowed down the court process and have recently complained of low salaries and pensions (as if they stretch to make ends meet), incompetent Ministers who Gonzi complains of to the US Ambassador …..the list could go on, and some ask why the country is sliding down fast. I can only guess why this Government appoints these particular persons in such important and key positions. But then everybody can guess, as well.
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Hmm, it shouldn't be too difficult to get some statistical information from the chamber, such as which magistrates or judges got the most requests to transfer.
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Family ties? Are you referring to the 5 families that own the Nationalists Party? I don't recall a Vella family in the PN, why don't you become real, take a look around you and stop being alienated! Its for your own good!
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Antoine Vella I am sure that if he did mention names you would have attacked him for doing so. Did the Bidnija witch pull your strings?
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I was under the impression that they were queuing to change their defence lawyer.
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@Antoine Vella.
Besides appointing yourself as the chronicler of past history, do you also have to serve as the mouthpiece of the Bidnija witch ?
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@ Antoine Vella .Literally your comments makes me sick .Grow up and take your blue eyed contact lenses and start talking words that makes sence .Dr Herrera was prudent
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Why didn't Herrera mention names? He was speaking in parliament and had immunity. What's the point of having parliamentary immunity if MPs do not use it for the benefit of the public? That also goes for "the quality of those . . . appointed to the benches". Does he have a conflict of interest here, because of family ties?
