Newly appointed Magistrate Keithley Benjamin. Photo credit: corruptionfreeanguilla.blogspot.com
Governor Alistair Harrison has announced the appointments of two magistrates.
The Governor says on the unanimous recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) he has approved the appointment of Ivenia Benjamin as Senior Magistrate. Benjamin is a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
She has worked as a magistrate in her home country, in the Attorney General’s Chambers and in private practice. Governor Harrison says Benjamin will be taking up her position early next month.
The Governor noted that Benjamin has had a long and distinguished legal career including as a magistrate, and would bring enormous experience to the post of senior magistrate.
Governor Harrison has also announced that on the unanimous recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission, he has approved the appointment of Keithley Benjamin to the position of magistrate. He says Benjamin will be taking up his position around the end of April or in early May. Benjamin is currently serving as the Commissioner of Police in Anguilla.
Similarly, Benjamin, a qualified lawyer, had a very distinguished career in the Royal Anguilla Police Force, which had given him a wealth of practical and legal experience.
Apart from the recommendation of the Commission, the Governor noted that Benjamin came with glowing testimonials from senior members of the legal profession in Anguilla, which spoke to his legal qualifications and experience, as well as his personal qualities. He would be following in the footsteps of other senior policemen in the Caribbean and the British Overseas Territories, who had taken up appointments as magistrates, including Haynes Blackman, who had been magistrate in Anguilla some years ago.
The Governor applauded Benjamin’s stint as Commissioner of Police, and said that he had enjoyed working closely with him over the last ten months. The position of Commissioner would now be advertised to suitably qualified candidates from within the RAPF and in the region.
Governor Harrison said that it would be important for Benjamin to avoid any conflict of interest, by recusing himself from any cases in which the RAPF were involved during his time as Commissioner. He noted he would ensure this was done, by his own volition. In any case it was expected that Ms. Benjamin, as senior magistrate, would make arrangements to ensure this happened.
According to Governor Harrison, he was delighted to be in a position to make the announcements, and to end the hiatus in the magistracy since the departure of Birnie Stephenson-Brooks. He paid tribute to Stephenson-Brooks’s tenure as magistrate, and also to the part-time magistrates John Benjamin and Courtney Abel, who had acted during the interim. Stephenson-Brooks currently serves as High Court judge in the Commonwealth of Dominica.
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Congratulation to Mr Benjamin and to Ms Benjamin who willbe taking up their positions very soon. The appointment of Miss Benjamin could not have come at a better time when we were celebrating international women day yesterday. I am so proud of her. Once again congrats to both.
Well it was about time. Lets hope that the new Commissioner of Police can put a hold on the crime rate.
It’s nice to see that all caribbean professionals and tradesmen can find employment not only in their country but in any other island that is caribbean since we are all caribbean people – the united islands of the caribbean just as the united states of america or the united provines of canada – thank God – the movements of Jah people.