Oct 02 - Ceremonial Opening Of The Legal Year Held Today
The outgoing President of the Courts Sir Paul Kennedy said he is happy to see Gibraltar’s court service in “good health and in good hands” during his final speech at the Opening of the Legal Year today.
Sir Paul retires next week, and the role will be taken up by Sir Maurice Kay.
He also commented on a judiciary bill that will allow the role of President of the Courts to return to the Chief Justice, and said neither he nor his successor raised any objections to it.
The newly-appointed Attorney General Michael Llamas QC and new Chairman of the Bar Keith Azopardi QC made their first addresses in their appointed roles.
Mr Llamas will head the Government of Gibraltar Law Offices, and will focus on criminal and prosecution, advisory, administration – including production of the Gibraltar Gazette – and parliamentary counsel.
He also highlighted three big anniversaries being celebrated in Gibraltar this year, including the 75thAnniversary of the evacuation, Sir Joshua Hassan’s 100th birthday, and 800 years since the Magna Carta.
Mr Azopardi was elected Chairman of the Bar in April earlier this year, and in his first speech at the Opening of the Legal Year, he called for the court system to be more dynamic and more proactive.
He called for the formation of a special committee to assist the government with the upcoming EU referendum due to take place in the UK and Gibraltar next year.
Mr Azopardi asked for the threshold civil legal aid to increase from its current £5,000 set in 1990, to keep in line with average earnings today.
He said those average earning families were disenfranchised by the legal system, and it was being restricted to either the very rich or the unemployed.
During their address, Sir Paul, Mr Llamas and Mr Azopardi paid tribute to former President of the Courts Sir Christopher Staughton.
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