CJ ARCHIE FOR WORLD COURT  

CHIEF Justice Ivor Archie could soon become a jurist of the prestigious International Court of Justice (ICJ), commonly called the World Court. 

International diplomats and jurists are currently lobbying to have Archie elected to replace eminent Jamaican Patrick Robinson, whose nine-year term ends next March. 

If elected, Archie, who turned 62 earlier this month, would become the first Trinidad and Tobago national to serve at the ICJ, which is based at The Hague, Holland. 

ICJ judges are each assured a nine-year term. 

T&T’s Chief Justice must retire at age 70. 

The ICJ, which settles disputes between countries, is a 77-year-old organ of the United Nations. 

Jurists are elected by the 193 members of the UN at a meeting of the General Assembly, but must be nominated by their home countries. 

There is intense campaigning to have Archie elected, and informed sources said that support has been pledged by several countries, including most Caricom nations.  

There are 15 ICJ judges, with the convention being to elect two from Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council have fixed members. 

The highly-regarded Robinson, 78, was only the second Caribbean jurist to serve at the ICJ, whose current president is American John Donoghue. 

Tobago-born Archie, who became CJ in 2008, has been at the butt of criticisms from some fellow judicial members and attorneys. 

In December 2018, the Law Association passed a motion seeking impeachment of the country’s top judicial officer, claiming misconduct. 

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley declined to trigger the impeachment procedure, and alleged that the association was politically biased. 

Rowley said that the legal critics “have a problem with the Chief Justice’s lifestyle.” 

But he added: “It was never recorded and presented to me. They wanted me as Prime Minister to carry out their private and secret talks.” 

Archie has also been criticised by certain judges for his management of the judiciary. 

A former law student in England, Archie has served as a state counsel in T&T, Turks & Caicos Islands and Cayman Islands. 

He was made a puisine judge in T&T in March 1998. 

In January 2008 at age 48, he became the country’s eight – and youngest ever – Chief Justice. 

He also serves as chairman of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. 

The ICJ stipulates that its judges must have “high moral character” and “qualifications required in their respective countries for appointment to the highest judicial offices…”  

If elected to the World Court, Archie would join judges from Russia, France, Slovakia, Morocco, Somalia, China, Uganda, India, Lebanon, Japan, Germany, and Australia. 

Justice Allan Mendonca has acted as Chief Justice during Archie’s absence from the country. 

An attorney since 1981, Mendonca joined the bench, as an acting judge, in April 1997. 

He later returned to his private practice before his permanent appointment to the Supreme Court in May 1999. 

He became an Appeal Court judge in April 2004. 

Mendonca is considered the most senior Appeal Court judge, but Justice Alice Yorke-Soo Hon is also viewed as an experienced member of the appellate court. 

Ms. Yorke-Soo Hon became a High Court in November 1997. 

The Chief Justice is appointed by the President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

CHIEF Justice Ivor Archie could soon become a jurist of the prestigious International Court of Justice (ICJ), commonly called the World Court. 

International diplomats and jurists are currently lobbying to have Archie elected to replace eminent Jamaican Patrick Robinson, whose nine-year term ends next March. 

If elected, Archie, who turned 62 earlier this month, would become the first Trinidad and Tobago national to serve at the ICJ, which is based at The Hague, Holland. 

ICJ judges are each assured a nine-year term. 

T&T’s Chief Justice must retire at age 70. 

The ICJ, which settles disputes between countries, is a 77-year-old organ of the United Nations. 

Jurists are elected by the 193 members of the UN at a meeting of the General Assembly, but must be nominated by their home countries. 

There is intense campaigning to have Archie elected, and informed sources said that support has been pledged by several countries, including most Caricom nations.  

There are 15 ICJ judges, with the convention being to elect two from Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The five permanent members of the UN Security Council have fixed members. 

The highly-regarded Robinson, 78, was only the second Caribbean jurist to serve at the ICJ, whose current president is American John Donoghue. 

Tobago-born Archie, who became CJ in 2008, has been at the butt of criticisms from some fellow judicial members and attorneys. 

In December 2018, the Law Association passed a motion seeking impeachment of the country’s top judicial officer, claiming misconduct. 

Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley declined to trigger the impeachment procedure, and alleged that the association was politically biased. 

Rowley said that the legal critics “have a problem with the Chief Justice’s lifestyle.” 

But he added: “It was never recorded and presented to me. They wanted me as Prime Minister to carry out their private and secret talks.” 

Archie has also been criticised by certain judges for his management of the judiciary. 

A former law student in England, Archie has served as a state counsel in T&T, Turks & Caicos Islands and Cayman Islands. 

He was made a puisine judge in T&T in March 1998. 

In January 2008 at age 48, he became the country’s eight – and youngest ever – Chief Justice. 

He also serves as chairman of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. 

The ICJ stipulates that its judges must have “high moral character” and “qualifications required in their respective countries for appointment to the highest judicial offices…”  

If elected to the World Court, Archie would join judges from Russia, France, Slovakia, Morocco, Somalia, China, Uganda, India, Lebanon, Japan, Germany, and Australia. 

Justice Allan Mendonca has acted as Chief Justice during Archie’s absence from the country. 

An attorney since 1981, Mendonca joined the bench, as an acting judge, in April 1997. 

He later returned to his private practice before his permanent appointment to the Supreme Court in May 1999. 

He became an Appeal Court judge in April 2004. 

Mendonca is considered the most senior Appeal Court judge, but Justice Alice Yorke-Soo Hon is also viewed as an experienced member of the appellate court. 

Ms. Yorke-Soo Hon became a High Court in November 1997. 

The Chief Justice is appointed by the President, on the advice of the Prime Minister, after consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.