The Anguilla Criminal Assizes of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court opened on Tuesday, February 6, with one case before Justice Janice George-Creque. She said she was hoping to have been presented with a pair of white gloves signifying that there were no cases to be heard at this session.

Honourable Wilhelm Bourne,

The Judge was responding to a statement made by President of the Anguilla Bar Association, Joyce Kentish, who said she was heartened that there was only one criminal case listed for hearing. It is the matter in which Brandon Romney is charged with attempted murder and causing grievous bodily harm.

“You almost got your white gloves,” the Anguillian lawyer told the Judge. “My Lady, we do not say that we can take the fact that there is only one matter on the list today as the ultimate barometer that we have solved the problem of crime…I think what it signals is that perhaps some inroad is being made…” She hoped that all of the important stakeholders would come together in a partnership to fight crime so that by the next Assizes the Judge could, like times before, be presented with white gloves.

Justice George-Creque agreed with Ms Kentish that the one case might be an indicator of some inroad being made in crime prevention. She cautioned however that crime, though caused by a few persons, was one of the problems of a developing Anguilla. She added that although there was only one case, she would have preferred the white gloves instead.

The scaled down ceremonial opening of the Court was addressed by recently-appointed Attorney General, Wilhelm Bourne. He said all persons had a responsibility to ensure that the criminal justice system worked in an even-handed manner for everyone concerned. He warned: “It is time to awaken to the realities of the tremendous impact of crime and its erosion on society. Look around the Caribbean region and take heed Anguilla and awake from the slumber of layback safe Caribbean days and nights which we witnessed in the past. It is time to pay attention. We must all move to stem the growing trend that crime in society is acceptable as a way of life.”

Mr. Bourne announced that the Jury Act was now being amended to expand the number of persons serving as jurors and to narrow the number of persons who may be exempted from jury service. He described this step as “an important movement for the criminal justice system in the arrangement of trial of cases.” He spoke of the establishment of the Regional Law Revision Centre and the third by-annual revision of the laws of Anguilla and commended the work of former Attorney General, Ronald Scipio and his team.

“There is much to be done in Anguilla for the development of the island and I look forward to playing my part,” he went on. “I encourage other stakeholders to work diligently for the betterment of the society on a whole.” He pledged to work closely with the private Bar and other stakeholders towards the further development of the criminal justice system.

The Attorney General was welcomed to Anguilla and to the Court by Ms Kentish who said she was looking forward to the forging of a good relationship between the private and public Bars. She noted that in the two months so far of his tenure of office, Mr. Bourne had taken “a very aggressive approach” to what needed to be done in the legal system including the third revision of the island’s laws.

In welcoming Mr. Bourne, Lawyer Thomas Astaphan advised him that while “he is the principal Legal Adviser to the Crown, the Governor’s Office, the House of Assembly and the Executive Council, he must never forget the fact that he is the people’s lawyer and their interest must be paramount.” He stated that while crime must be addressed vigorously, he was respectfully admonishing the Attorney General to ensure that the fight against crime must always be done within the constitutional context.

Justice George-Greque joined in welcoming the Attorney General and his wife to Anguilla. She was heartened to hear that the Jury Act had been amended to expand the pool of jurors and that her call had been heeded. She stated that the Court had been burdened with the fact that the same small number of persons were being called up for duty every time and that it was making inroads in their daily lives.

She stressed that all persons had a role to play in ensuring that Anguilla was free of crime as possible. The Judge stated that invariably it was just only a few unleashing violence upon a society, that there was a need to prevent crime at all cost and to ensure that the justice system was fair, judicious and effective. She added that she was pleased that Anguilla was leading the way in law reform and the establishment of the Regional Law Revision Centre.

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