Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

A third organisation has come out against the proposed amendment to the Constitution to raise the retirement age of judges from 70 to 72.

Attorney-at-law George Soutar, president of the Advocates Association of Jamaica, has said that any amendment to the Constitution should await the recommendations of the Justice Reform Task Force.

The recommendations are expected to be ready by the end of June.

The Jamaican Bar Association and the lobby group Jamaicans For Justice are also calling for amendments to the Constitution to take place after the recommendations.

Attorney-at-law John Leiba, president of the JBA, said earlier this month that the amendment should not be done "piecemeal".

Security of tenure

Dr. Carolyn Gomes, executive director of JFJ, also expressed a similar view.

Mr. Soutar said last week that it was the view of the association that there should be security of tenure for resident magistrates.

The Resident Magistrates' Association has on numerous occasions called for security of tenure similar to that entrenched in the Constitution for Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges.

The Constitution states the age at which they can remain in office. It also states that a judge may be removed from office for inability to discharge the functions of his office or for misbehaviour, but the Governor-General will have to appoint a tribunal to enquire into the matter.

Judges receive their full salary when they retire and Resident Magistrates have often said they should also be given that benefit on retirement.