December 3, 2003

Dear Sir;

I felt compelled to respond to the newspaper article, "Rammell Mulls Decision on New Chief Justice", after I read the article on December 2, 2003. On two other occasions this year, I have written Letters to the Editor about taking action to reform the judicial system in Bermuda. Now that the position of Chief Justice is available for an appointment, this is a perfect opportunity for Bermuda to get a judge that is tough on crime and will enforce Bermuda's laws to the fullest degree.

One of the most devastating things that I have observed about some judges and magistrates in Bermuda is that they do not push the laws to their maximum potential. Two recent examples saw sexual offenders give reduced or suspended sentences for molesting teenagers.

I would like to request that Overseas Territories Minister, Bill Rammell, and others who are involved in the decision making process of appointing the new chief justice to not be influenced by the masses of Bermudians who just want a Chief Justice simply because he/she is a Bermudian citizen. Instead, I ask them to look at the person's track record of dealing with criminal matters while he/she was a judge, prosecutor, or criminal defence attorney.

Already this year, there have been improvements made to the Bermuda Judicial System as a result of Kulandra Ratneser taking over the Public Prosecutions Department from Khamisi Tokunbo. Now let us continue the improvements by appointing a Chief Justice who will get tough on crime and perform judicial activism, judicial review, and judicial restraint in order to reform Bermuda's laws for the better when it is necessary to do so.

KENNETH MINORS

Huntsville, Alabama