ANTIGUA-PM Browne hits back at regional women judges

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Prime Minister Gaston Browne has dismissed criticisms by five regional associations of women judges, which last week had expressed grave

concern over comments he made last month regarding what he described as lenient sentences for serious criminal offenses.

The associations, the Caribbean Association of Women Judges, Commonwealth of The Bahamas Association of Women Judges, Eastern Caribbean Association of Women Judges, the Guyana Association of Women Judges and the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Women Judges, had defended judicial independence and the rule of law.

In their statement, the organizations said they considered it necessary to collectively defend principles they described as foundational to constitutional democracy throughout the Caribbean.

The associations said they objected to Prime Minister Browne’s reported suggestion that a judge who sits on the bench here and fails to impose sufficiently severe sentences should leave the country or face deportation and designation as persona non grata.

“On the independence of the Judiciary, there can be no ambiguity. An independent Judiciary is not an obstacle to public safety. It is one of the guarantees of a free, safe and democratic society,” the judges said.

But in a statement posted on his Facebook page, an unrepentant Browne said that the courts should give proportional sentences “instead of your inadequate, weak-kneed sentences that have resulted in an unmanageable increase in the repeat offenders population”.

He said that these repeat offenders are destabilizing Caribbean communities, terrorizing citizens, and undermining development.

“Your singular concern about your judicial independence is misguided. Your “independence” doesn’t put you beyond reproach and make you unaccountable to the people you serve.

“Your so-called “independence does not give you the right to abuse your sentencing discretion in favor of criminals who commit heinous crimes. It does not give you the right to act contrary to the wishes of the Parliament to see more stringent sentencing,” Browne wrote.

He said that the judges have an “obligation to move in lockstep with the other branches of government to fight crime and violence by issuing proportional sentencing.

“Your weak sentencing is undermining public safety; that is the salient issue at hand, that you, members of the Judiciary, have conveniently failed to address. Instead, you continue to treat the people you serve with a contemptuous silence, only to respond when you think your “independence” is challenged. “

Prime Minister Browne said that the Judiciary is fully aware that he is not seeking to influence any individual case.

“What I am challenging is a broken judicial system that needs urgent realignment to become relevant in addressing the prevailing challenges of crime and violence involving repeat offenders.

“I respect the separation of powers. However, where your weak sentencing is trespassing on the domain of Parliament and, by extension, the people’s desire to see more proportional sentencing of repeat offenders involved in heinous sex and firearms crimes – I have every right to “blaze” members of the Judiciary. “

Prime Minister Browne said he believes that “several of you are women (and) how would you feel if your young five-year-old daughter was raped and contracted herpes from a 50-year-old criminal and the judge gave a three-year sentence for a guilty plea?

“How would you feel if someone committed aggravated robbery against any of you with a firearm – and is given 18 months in jail – to return to society to commit similar crimes? How do you feel about repeat offenders involved in narco trafficking committing multiple offenses, including drugs and firearms, only to serve 1.5 – 2 years repeatedly? They need longer sentences to disrupt the sustainability of their ongoing narco business. “

He said that the judges’ “moronic condemnation of the Rasta Dreadman (Gassy Dread),” which he uses as a singer, “is of no consequence.

“Until you address public concerns about your perverse sentencing against hardened criminals – you will continue to hear from me on behalf of the people.

“As far as I am concerned, it’s inappropriate for the Judiciary to be moving in the opposite direction of the Parliament, with their liberal, lenient sentencing. This is the issue that your members stubbornly refuse to address.

“And to the corrupt ones among you – take my threat seriously. You cross the line and credible evidence emerges about your acts of unintegrity – appropriate action will be taken against them,” Browne said, adding that he is speaking on behalf of the people without fear or favor.

“I said what I said, and I stand by it. My advice: climb down from your secured ivory towers, show some empathy for the victims of these heinous crimes by ensuring justice is served on the criminals, without fail.”

Browne said that the judges “need to end your conceit and deceit by accepting that our justice system is broken; realign in accordance with the wishes of the people you serve.

“The safety of our respective countries and our peoples is paramount and takes priority over your so-called “independence,” he wrote.