----------------------------------------------------------------------- Documented by Goa Desc Documentation Service & circulated by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network (GOA CAN)<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ph:2252660 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------- Disturbing Statement ---------------------------- Your esteemed newspaper carried a headline on its front page this morning (June 30th.) saying that the Chief Minister refused to order a judicial enquiry because, according to him, judges can be corrupt.
We cannot quarrel with that assertion, but, are we to conclude that the Chief Minister will NEVER again order any judicial enquiries into any instances of a criminal nature because "judges can be corrupt?"
Moreover, are we to assume that because judges are prone to corruption, the entire judicial system has to be discarded as being unreliable??
What is more disturbing, however, for the citizens, is the statement made by the Chief Minister that he has evidence of corruption against some judges. If his assertion is true, we would like to know why he has not initiated action against these corrupt judges.
Why has he neglected to take the necessary steps to have these judges removed from the bench? Is it that he is protecting these corrupt judges? - in which case, he himself becomes an accessory to the corruption.
If, however, he is keeping this evidence to be used against the particular judges for the purpose of manipulating their judicial decisions, the Chief Minister is himself indulging in the worst form of corruption that can be imagined - manipulating the judicial process by threatening to expose particular judges when he perceives that a judicial order might go against him or his government.
The citizens of Goa are faced with a serious problem of governance. We demand that the Chief Minister immediately reveal the names of those judges against whom he has evidence of corruption, and that he immediately initiates proceedings to remove these judges from the Bench. His failure to do so will not only discredit the entire Judiciary, but will expose him to the charge of failing to uphold the Rule of Law, which he has solemnly sworn to do, and which is the basis of good governance.
Averthanus D'Souza Dona Paula. in a letter to the Editor. ------------------------------- HERALD 1/7/03 page 6 -------------------------------
======================================= GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE Documentation + Education + Solidarity 11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507 Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.goadesc.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy =======================================
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