Judicial Services Commission to Look at Recruitment and Appointment of Judicial Officers at Retreat

Chief Justice, Hon. Bryan Sykes, has advised that the Judicial Services Commission will host its very first retreat this year, to take a deliberate look at the recruitment and appointment of judicial officers.

Addressing Thursday’s (April 24) swearing-in ceremony for two members of the judiciary to higher office for the Easter Term, at King’s House, Mr. Sykes said this is among the recommendations of the 2007 report of the Professor Barrington Chevannes- led Jamaican Justice System Reform Task Force.

The report noted that the current system for the appointment of judges at all levels of the judiciary is inadequate and insufficiently transparent.

“Despite the fact that it may be considered old, it is still relevant and we take the observations made there very seriously, and arising from that and other considerations, a committee was established under the leadership of the then Justice of Appeal, Justice Hillary Phillips, and she produced a report in 2020,” he explained.

Mr. Sykes said the Commission will consider the use of psychometric evaluation, as in other important areas of national life it is a standard recruiting tool.

“We will be looking at things such as attitude to authority, willingness to work in teams, willingness to abide by legitimate instructions in terms of the administration of the court, because the court as an institution has to have rules by which it operates without compromising the ability of the judge to decide cases as they understand the law and the evidence. So, those are things that the Commission will be looking at in order to strengthen the recruitment process,” he explained.

Mr. Sykes underscored that it is critical for the process to be strengthened, as once a judge is appointed, barring misbehaviour or severe ill health, it is almost impossible to remove him or her.

“At the end of the retreat, the expectation is that we will have a detailed recruitment methodology, processes clearly outlined, the criteria for selection clearly articulated, so that when persons are seeking to apply for judicial office, they will know exactly what is expected of them and how the process will be conducted,” he said.