FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD: 25 MAY 2004

Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)

FIBS NEWS DIRECT: TUESDAY, 25 MAY 2004

SENIOR MAGISTRATE LEAVES FALKLANDS:

Senior Magistrate, Nick Sanders (NS), leaves the Islands on Thursday after three years.  I asked him to talk about some of the high profile cases to pass through the Courts recently.  Although he said he couldn’t talk about the details of particular cases, Mr. Sanders told me his thoughts on the general background of some of them, including Mike Bingham’s appeal against FIG’s decision to reject his application of Falkland Islands Status.

NS:  The Bingham case was an interesting one because of the issues it raised.  It was, in Chief Justice Wood’s judgment, effectively a landmark case defining the relationship between Government and the Constitution and the people.  From that point of view, it is a very interesting case.  His judgment was, I think, damning in some ways to Government.  It went to the heart of the decision making process.  What was, perhaps, a little disappointing, I am speaking more as a member of the public rather than Senior Magistrate, was the Government’s reaction to the criticisms made in it.  One would perhaps have thought that given the nature of the criticism, it might have been appropriate to look at what the Chief Justice says a little bit closer.  There is no doubt it did wrong by Mr. Bingham because the decision-making process was flawed.  But I don’t think he received an apology, for example, or even a commitment to do better next time.  That. I think, perhaps is a little disappointing.

BUDGET PROPOSALS:

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GOVERNOR’S SPEECH:

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WINTER SHOOTING:

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