Photo: Dahlia Joseph Rowe, President of The St Kitts and Nevis Bar Association.
By Erasmus Williams
Basseterre, St Kitts, March 6, 2020 – The St Kitts and Nevis Bar Association on Friday issued a statement Friday following a threat on Resident Judge His Lordship the Hon Eddy Ventose.
The Bar in its statement said that it has been brought to the attention of the Bar Council of the St Kitts and Nevis Bar Association that certain members of the public have engaged in public threats of violence against the Hon Justice Eddy Ventose following his recent ruling in the case of Tanzania Tobing Tanzil v. Lindsay Grant and Jonel Powell.
“The Bar Council strongly condemns such attacks on a member of our judiciary. The independence of the judiciary is a fundamental pillar of our democratic society. We cannot allow the safety and independence of the judiciary to be compromised in any way by baseless and unwarranted threats because some persons are dissatisfied with the ruling of a judge,” said a statement from the President of the St Kitts and Nevis Bar Association Dahlia Joseph Rowe.
“While members of the public are entitled to express their views they must do so lawfully and responsibly. We urge persons to exhibit respect at all times for the office of the Honourable Judge. Personal attacks on a judge are unacceptable and unwarranted regardless of the circumstances. If a party is dissatisfied with the ruling of a judge the judicial process provides an avenue to challenge such a ruling,” said Dahlia Joseph Rowe.
She said the Bar Association understands that the Honourable Judge has been provided with additional security.
“Whatever security measures are required to guarantee the safety of the judge must be implemented by the relevant authorities as a matter of priority,” adding: “This being an election season in St Christopher and Nevis, we urge the leaders and senior members of the respective political parties to lead by example and encourage your supporters to be civil, respectful and responsible in their discourse at all times,” said Joseph Rowe in the statement.