A retiring judge has warned of “trouble” for the country if the authorities continue to allow the judiciary to be denigrated, especially on social media.
While admitting that there were imperfections in the Maltese judicial system, in that not all members of the bench pulled their weight, Judge Joseph Zammit McKeon used his last sitting before retirement to defend the judiciary.
“The judiciary managed to crystallise imperfection. We are all the colours of the rainbow.
“There’s a mix of everything here and everyone makes their own effort,” Zammit McKeon, who has been judge for over 12 years, said.
“The country will be in trouble if the judiciary are allowed to be denigrated and called names, especially by anonymous people on social media, where the judiciary cannot defend itself because of the principle of fair hearing,” he said.
Zammit McKeon did not elaborate on the trouble he foresaw.
He also warned lawyers who had applied to be considered for the judiciary to be aware of the difficulties they would face. Magistrates, he said, already knew of the difficult circumstances, with work coming in incessantly.
Zammit Mckeon practised as a lawyer before being appointed judge in 2009.
“Those who go in for it must make it a mission and must be ready to be missionaries too,” he said.
“Yes, we are well paid, but the improvements in our conditions only happened four years ago. Those who are entering from the outside can forget about receiving any honours here,” he said sternly.
He added: “What I know for certain is that if you do your job well, in a timely manner, by giving space and listening to everyone and without looking at faces, you’ll be giving something back to your country.”
When you are a perfectionist in a system which is imperfect, you get stuck
He recalled that he had sat on practically all sections of the law courts and had handed down 2,106 judgments in his 4,212 days as a judge.
He was particularly proud of the more than 400 cases which were dropped after his court helped bring the parties together by putting on its conciliation hat.
Zammit McKeon yesterday said he was leaving behind no pending decisions.
Cases were added to his list even after January 1 because “although everyone knew I was going to retire, cases kept coming, even until this morning”.
He quoted Brazilian football star Pele: “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and, most of all, love of what you’re doing.”
This, he said, applied to the judiciary.
Addressing the question of why he was not staying on until the age of 68, thanks to the recent amendments allowing judges to retire later, Zammit McKeon, who became a lawyer 40 years ago, said he had chosen to spend more time with his family and enjoy his grandchildren, including one on the way.
“It is time to say goodbye... é tempo di voltare pagina (time to start a fresh page). I will go for a lifestyle which is different to the one that starts at 5.30am from Monday to Sunday, without a break at weekends.
“I am going to try to rest, but first I have to learn how to do that. I want to enjoy my family and possibly have a better quality of life,” he said in his customary jovial tone.
He added: “I had lots of disappointments, but they made me stronger. Ordeals were the order of the day but even here, when you are a perfectionist in a system which is imperfect, you get stuck.”
Turning to proposals for a better justice system, he said the commercial section of the law courts, which was “a success story”, needed to be reinforced, including with the allocation of three judges.
It ought to be extended to cover maritime, trademarks, intellectual property and patents, he contended.
The judge paid tribute to nurses and doctors and all those who were working against all odds to protect the nation from the pandemic and the deadly virus.
“I salute them because if we took greater care of ourselves, we would have made their lives easier. I did not want to miss the opportunity to show them recognition, on behalf of the judiciary, for their work.”