(Trinidad Express) – Five regional associations representing women judges have mounted a collective defence of judicial independence following controversial remarks by Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who threatened to deport a sitting judge over what he described as overly lenient sentencing.
The Caribbean Association of Women Judges (CAWJ), together with the Commonwealth of The Bahamas Association of Women Judges (CBAWJ), Eastern Caribbean Association of Women Judges (ECAWJ), Guyana Association of Women Judges (GAWJ) and Trinidad and Tobago Association of Women Judges (TTAWJ), issued a joint statement on Tuesday expressing “grave concern” over Browne’s public comments.
The associations said they were joining the Caribbean Heads of Judiciary and others across the region in defending the principles of judicial independence, the rule of law and the separation of powers.
Their statement followed remarks by Browne in August in which he publicly criticised the sentencing of people convicted of firearm-related offences.
During a national security meeting on August 10, Browne took aim at what he described as a “soft on crime” approach and directed his criticism at an unnamed judge.
