Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Bertie Pompey has been sworn in as temporary magistrate.
The swearing in at Government House was witnessed by Governor General Sir Frederick Ballantyne, Attorney General Judith Jones Morgan, President of the Bar Association Rene Baptiste, Chief Magistrate, Rachanne Browne-Matthias and acting Chief Personnel Officer (Ag) Mekel Burke on Friday.
In his remarks, Sir Frederick extended congratulations to Pompey on his appointment, adding that he viewed it as progress and advancement for himself and his career.
The Governor General urged the new magistrate to be “fair and honest” in his judgment and to be prepared at all times to defend his actions and words.
The Attorney General endorsed the Governor General’s statement, adding that she was delighted to have the former law enforcement officer on board.
“It is very difficult in these times to find good lawyers who are willing to leave their private practice, lucrative as it may be to come to serve,” she said.
She said during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Pompey was always willing to serve. She described him as an honest, fair individual with integrity.
“I am very happy that the Judicial, Legal Services Commission accepted the nomination for him to serve with us for a while.
Meanwhile, Baptiste told Pompey that she was looking forward to hearing excellent things about his service on the bench, adding that she was pleased that he had accepted after he was approached and the Judicial Legal Commission Services had given him this appointment within the judiciary.
Having served over 30 years in the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, Pompey said it was a profound privilege for him to play a role in the upkeep of the Constitution and law and order.
“This is a responsibility that I do not take lightly, I will endeavour with utmost transparency and fairness to strike a balance between the rights and freedom of the individual on the one hand and that of the state in the maintenance of order in a dispassionate and objective way,” he said.
a most disappointing and distasteful political appointment which will be seen as connected to the family dynasty.
Peter, worse this is that this guy was a prosecutor all his career of so-called criminals, many of who were found to be “not guilty.”
How can he now possibly act or be seen to act as an impartial adjudicator in his new role. Someone with this background would not be appointed as a judge in any civilized country.
But SVG is not a civilized country, right? It is Ralph’s medieval plantation as you have always complained.
Freddy does not appear to be happy at all, but there you go Freddy has to do as he is told like it or not.