Grumbling in the ranks as T&T gets new appeal court judges

Trinidad and Tobago has three new Appeal Court judges - Peter Jamadar, Alice Yorke-Soo Hon and Nolan Bereaux. Jamadar and Yorke-Soo Hon would take up their appointment in time for the ceremonial opening of the new law term on September 16, but Bereaux will join the court in 2009 after completing several cases still before him.

The appointments have left some judges grumbling that they have been bypassed in favour of the three new appointees.

The Trinidad Guardian says it spoke to some judges who are not pleased with what has happened.

It says five judges were bypassed for promotion to the country's highest local court: Carlton Best, Herbert Volney, Humphrey Stollmeyer, Rajendra Narine, and Gregory Smith.

According to a seniority list, Jamadar and Bereaux stand sixth and seventh, while Yorke-Soo Hon is listed at 10th behind Prakash Moosai and Sebastien Ventour, the paper reported.

It said both Best and Volney have been bypassed on several occasions in the past.

There was speculation Narine and Stollmeyer were the front runners for the Appeal Court seats. And the paper said Narine and Stollmeyer had cleared up cases in prepration for the move.

But Chief justice Ivor Archie ended the speculation and announced the new appointments on at a luncheon for judges earlier this week.

Jamadar and Bereaux have been presiding in the civil courts and have both delivered high-profile judgments.

One handled the Trinity Cross constitutional motion filed by Satnarayan Maharaj, secretary general of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, and Inshan Ishmael, president of the Islamic Relief Centre.