00:00The contract of Lawrence Atchung has been extended for a further six months.
00:05For some trade unions, it is unwelcome news.
00:09Chief Education and Research Officer of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union, Ozzy Warwick,
00:14provides insight into a protest that took place by union workers and branch officers
00:19outside of the industrial court over that development.
00:23So this morning's action was really staged by a number of unions,
00:27which included the OWTU, but it also included the EPA, the Steelworkers Union, the Postal Workers Union.
00:36Now, at the heart of this issue is the fundamental concept of judicial impartiality.
00:45He says the foundation of legal systems is hinged on it.
00:49And what we've seen is a consistent number of judgments coming from higher courts,
00:55from the Privy Council, from the Court of Appeal, and even from the High Court,
01:01expressing concern over the question of impartiality by the Central Service Division,
01:07led by Mr. Lawrence Atchung.
01:10So the issue is not just about judgments.
01:13It's much deeper than that.
01:15It's about the main grouping of people that access the court, which will be the workers,
01:22or trade unions and the workers, losing confidence in the court itself.
01:31Trade unions, including the Estate Police Association, have been repeatedly calling for Atchung's removal.
01:36In a 2014 case between the EPA and the Royal Bank of Canada,
01:41the special tribunal, through Atchung, took the association to the Privy Council
01:45in an appeal which was dismissed by the law lords who said that the tribunal
01:50had lost sight of the principles of impartiality and neutrality.
01:54It's not just that matter.
01:56You had, for example, the judicial review in terms of when he attempted to impose
02:01two five-year agreements on the Public Service Association.
02:06They had to go and get a judicial review on that.
02:09Then you had the, don't forget, the P&T matter where he ruled 000,
02:16which went to the Court of Appeal.
02:17And the Court of Appeal expressed concern around that fundamental issue of fairness and impartiality.
02:26He is questioning the basis for the extension of Atchung's contract.
02:31Warwick says the trade unions will continue to raise the issue
02:35because justice must not only be fair, it should appear fair as well.
02:41Alicia Boucher, TV6 News.
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