THE EDITOR, Sir:
YOUR EDITORIAL of Wednesday January 18, 2006 berates the learned Resident Magistrate for St. Mary for placing the special constable under arrest for "failing to call out loudly enough the names of the persons to appear before her". That was not the case.
The names were being called in court, to be repeated at the door by the special corporal. Several names were called. None were repeated by the
special corporal.
The special corporal indicated no difficulty with hearing the names. The resident magistrate then asked (not for the first time) that the names be called at the door, which request was repeated by another officer.
At this point, the special corporal shouted in a loud tone and in a most disrespectful manner, in the vernacular, that she was unable to hear the names being called.
TAKEN INTO CUSTODY
The judge then ordered that she be taken into custody for the disrespect shown to the court. As the learned magistrate pointed out at the time, members of the public cannot be asked to show respect for the court when officers of the court are allowed to be grossly disrespectful in the face of the court.
This, Mr. Editor, is what brings the administration into disrepute, not the judge's maintaining the order and dignity of her court, the courts being, perhaps, the last bastion of civil and disciplined behaviour in our country.
I am, etc.,
ROYSTON JOHNSON
Resident Magistrate's Court
Main Street, Port Maria,
St. Mary
