Criminal Court ‘C’ Judge, Blamo Dixon has described the situation with salary at the Judiciary as ‘irregular and painful.’
Judge Dixon revealed that the situation of the Finance Ministry has gone from bad to worse and ridiculous to the extent that the motivations have dwindled.
He made these comments yesterday during the formal opening of Criminal Courts A, B, C & D at the Temple of Justice.
He went further that justices, judges, and judicial employees work for sixty days for one month salary; stressing that the one month salary cannot even be paid in full.
“We can receive 20 percent thereof in 45 days and the balance 80 percent in 60 days,” Dixon noted.
He said the Financial Autonomy Act of the Judiciary Branch of Government is being grossly violated by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Dixon however called on the Chief Justice Sie-A-Nyene G. Yuoh to restore the high motivations on the job for workers of the Judiciary to dispense transparent justice without fear or favor.
He reminded Yuoh about her assurance to Liberians and the world at large of Judicial Independence, Rule of Law, Due Process of Law, Uprightness, Human Rights, Due Diligence, and Women Empowerment.
Dixon revealed that the Chief Justice also promised to build the capacity of the Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) and the Grievance and Ethics Committee (GEC) of the Supreme Court.
The Judge disclosed that Judges are not afraid of bomb shells from the media or anyone else, because they are capable to defend their decisions.
Dixon said as Judges enter 2023, the stability or instability of the country lies in the quality of the judgments, verdicts, decrees, orders, and decisions that will be rendered in the various courts from Monday, November 14, 2022, to Tuesday, November 14, 2023.
“Madam Chief Justice, you are from within the Supreme Court Bench and you are aware of the issues, problems, and challenges confronting the employees of the Judiciary Branch,” the judge said.
He established that judicial employees’ expectations are not high; because they are convinced that the Chief Justice will resolve some of the challenges for consideration.
For her part, Chief Justice Yuoh called on judges and all judicial staff to work in unison to engage the government as one body.
She at the same time assured the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA) of its cooperation in making the Judiciary a better place to dispense justice to all in the wake of salary disparity in the Judicial Branch of Government.
