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Last Updated: Jan 15, 2021 - 10:36:07 AM |
 Remarks by
The Hon. Chief Justice Sir Brian Moree, Q.C.
At Ceremonies Marking the Opening of the 2021 Legal Year
January 13, 2021
Rawson Square
Nassau, The Bahamas
My Lords, My Ladies, other Judicial Officers, Mr. Attorney, President of the Bahamas Bar Association and members of Bar Council, Counsel and Attorneys, guests, and others who are viewing these proceedings by live stream or watching on television – Good afternoon. Recognize Court of Appeal.
As we mark the Opening of the 2021 Legal Year the country is still under a Proclamation of Emergency declared by the Governor General as a result of the scourge which we now identify as Covid 19. That pandemic has literally changed our way of life and the way in which business affairs and activities are conducted around the world. Courts have not escaped the intrusive and disruptive impact of Covid 19 and over the past 10 -11 months we, who are responsible for the administration of justice, have had to adapt and respond to the dynamic and unpredictable environment of the Covid 19 era as national Governments and public health officials have struggled to mitigate and contain the transmission of the virus. Lockdowns, curfews, physical distancing requirements, sanitizing protocols, quarantines, self-isolation procedures, PCR and antigen tests and travel restrictions have all become a part of the new paradigm. The overall result is that the landscape of the Courts today is massively different than it was a year ago when this Court sat in the Supreme Court building on 8 January, 2020 to mark the Opening of the 2020 Legal Year. At that time we were recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Dorian which had passed through parts of The Bahama in September, 2019 and we were looking forward to better days ahead. Little did we know that Covid 19 was around the corner.
It is to state the obvious that our plans in 2020 for the Courts were severely threatened by the pandemic – but I can report that not only did our Court system survive in 2020, we defied the pessimists by making significant progress in many areas as we remained laser focused on court reform and modernization.
Undoubtedly, 2020 was the most difficult and challenging year in modern history. The turbulent events associated with Covid 19 delayed my timeline for the implementation of certain projects but we nevertheless moved forward with major initiatives in the Courts. Indeed, for us in the Judiciary, the real takeaway from 2020 is best described in the well-known adage that “necessity is the mother of invention.” By the second quarter of last year it became evident to all in the Court system that in the Covid 19 era, change and innovation were no longer merely strategies for progress and modernization but were imperatives for survival. That mindset was perfectly compatible with our pre pandemic objectives and mitigated the resistance to widespread reform intended to overhaul the machinery of justice in The Bahamas. The result is that notwithstanding Covid 19, 2020 was a productive and busy year for the Courts as we continued throughout the pandemic to fulfil our constitutional mandate and advance the components of the Court Modernization and Reform Initiative – COMRIN.
This is the second time that I have the great honour and privilege of addressing you as Chief Justice at the ceremony to commemorate the Opening of the Legal Year. It is a humbling experience and I continue to be grateful for this opportunity to serve my country. I pledge to do my very best to discharge my duties for as long as I am in this office. I am mindful of the fact that I am here for only a season and my overreaching legal fidelity is to the Constitution of The Bahamas. I acknowledge God in all matters and seek His continued guidance in my life as I serve as the Head of the Judiciary.
My plan for the Court system in 2021 can be simply and succinctly expressed in three words – Reform and Modernization. As we move into a new year, we intend to consolidate our achievements in 2020 and continue to implement the components of the reform programme with vigour, focus, discipline and hard work in order to implement sweeping and sustainable changes throughout the Court system. The ultimate objective is to provide the people in The Bahamas with a Court system which is commensurate with the standing and high calling of The Bahamas in the international community. They deserve nothing less in a 21st century Bahamas.
I express on behalf of all my colleagues our appreciation to all who have taken time to join us today, either in person or virtually, to mark the Opening of the 2021 Legal Year. I trust that the proceedings today will give you a better understanding of the workings of the Court. I deeply regret that because of public health protocols we have not been able to accommodate at this ceremony many more members of the Court staff, lawyers and the general public. I trust that you all understand the limitations which necessarily applied to this event and that you are watching these proceedings by live stream or television
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