Former Premier Alex Scott has criticised the decision to reappoint Chief Justice Richard Ground for a new three-year term, saying it's time for another Bermudian Chief Justice.

When Mr. Scott was Premier, he used up a considerable amount of political capital arguing with Government House about Mr. Justice Ground's original appointment to a five-year term.

This newspaper disagreed with Mr. Scott then, and still does so.

Mr. Justice Ground's skills as a jurist and administrator were needed then, when reform of the courts was demanded, and they are still needed now. While the courts are vastly improved, he needs more time to finish the job.

That's not to say that he should have a lifetime appointment, and it is right that he has been given a further three years, as opposed to a second five-year term.

It may well be, and should be, that there will be a capable Bermudian judge available in 2012 to succeed Mr. Justice Ground, and part of the Chief Justice's remit should be to develop a succession plan.

It is worth noting that this appointment has been carried out, as constitutionally required, in consultation with the Premier and Opposition Leader, and that Attorney General Sen. Kim Wilson made clear in yesterday's newspaper that she has no objections to the appointment; in this case, she speaks for the Government.

It is this newspaper's understanding that the Bar has also been consulted on the appointment and accepted it as well.

With the Supreme Court now working effectively, Mr. Justice Ground now needs to turn his attention to Magistrates' Court, especially as this area of the judiciary will be moving to a new court building, most likely within his tenure.

It would also be good to see Mr. Justice Ground, in collaboration with other agencies, closely looking at the family court which has an increasingly heavy workload, and to the extent possible, the Alternatives to Incarceration programme.

While some of these areas fall within the remit of the executive and the legislature, it is important that the judiciary makes clear where it stands on these issues, and on the vexed questions of making divorce, child support and custody proceedings less contentious.

That's a fairly heavy agenda for the next three years, but if Mr. Justice Ground's performance over the last five years is anything to go by, he can handle it.