THE PENDING APPOINTMENT of two judges appears not to be sitting well with some in the legal fraternity.

Well-placed legal sources have indicated that the two, one a former magistrate, should be taking up the positions by the end of the month. If they do, that would bring the number of women on the High Court Bench to five, as compared with three men.

One of the proposed judges is expected to preside over a specially created commercial court to be located at the recently renovated complex on Roebuck Street which is also to be the base for the Family Court.

However, observers, lawyers included, are not satisfied with the process for appointing judges and believe it is time to advertise the positions as is the case with the regional tribunal, the Caribbean Court of Justice.

At present, the judges are appointed by the Prime Minister in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.

So far the Barbados Labour Party administration has appointed all of the six presiding judges who, because of their ages, could remain there for the next 25 years.

President of the Bar Association, Wilfred Abrahams, said the body had received no written objections to appointments, but, he added, such positions needed to be advertised.

"I firmly believe that the positions of judges should be advertised and the most qualified applicants accepted. This would lend much needed transparency
to the process," he said.

Attorney-at-law Errol Niles said the time had come for the Bar Association to have a greater input into the appointment of judges since its members, through their practices, help to shape jurisprudence.

"It is through that process that members recognised those who have some intellectual promise. There should be a wide canvass for such an important appointment. We need people with varied experience which they could bring to bear on deliberations and decision-making on the bench," Niles said. (AC)