BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AFTER more than a year on forced leave from the job, substantive Registrar to the High Court Janine Harris-Lake yesterday (Nov. 24) attempted to resume her duties but, owing to the absence of the acting Registrar to facilitate a smooth transition, she was unsuccessful.
SKNVibes understands that some two weeks ago, Harris-Lake corresponded, via letter, with the Public Service Commission indicating that she is of the view that she is still the Registrar having not been officially removed from that post, but is being prevented from performing her duties in that regard.
The letter was reportedly copied to Chief Justice, the Judicial and Legal Services Commission and other bodies and individuals. She also indicated in that correspondence that yesterday she would be showing up at the High Court to resume her duties.
Accompanied by her husband and Talibah Byron, one of her legal representatives, Harris made her way to and into the Sir Lee Llewellyn Moore Judicial and Legal Services Complex and into the Registry while, according to Byron, being closely followed by two police officers.
“She went over to the courthouse, I accompanied her, her husband accompanied her as well… There were two police officers who were following us. I’m not really sure why…We asked them why are you following us, if someone sent them and if they had something to say to us, and one of the officers said, ‘Not yet’…”
Byron explained that when they got into the Registry, they telephoned the acting Registrar and asked when she would be back out to work and whether or not she had seen the letter written by the substantive Registrar indicating that she was going to resume her duties on that day.
“She was not at work today and we made a call to her because we did not want to embarrass anybody, and if she is acting we wanted a smooth transition back to her (Janine). We called her and ask her certain questions and she said it is way above her pay grade. Those were her words and she said she suggests that we call the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice.”
SKNVibes understands that the trio left the courthouse without incident.
Background information
In September of last year, Harris was sent on forced vacation leave and was instructed to turn over all important matters with which she was dealing to the Legal Affairs Minister. Nearing the end of that vacation leave, she was again issued notification that she was being sent on additional leave and was subsequently notified that she was being assigned to the post of Director of Legal Reform.
SKNVibes understands that letters Harris-Lake had written to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs have been responded to, which indicated that the position “is still being finalised”.
Harris-Lake was placed in that position while still officially carrying the title of High Court Registrar.
