PHOTO: Judge Roosevelt E. Willie of the Criminal Court “A”
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
TEMPLE OF JUSTICE, Monrovia- Liberian Judges need to be rewarded at the Judiciary just as other organizations can reward their employees after a hard work of service at the end of the year, says Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie.
Judge Willie made the assertion when he delivered his charge during the opening the February 2024, A. D. Term of Court on behalf Criminal Courts A, B,C,D and E, earlier this week.
The Liberian Circuit Court Judge Willie said that as an educator, there is a concept in the profession called Reward which can either be positive or negative. Teachers usually give reward to students for their performances, when they have completed an evaluation such as, assignment, quiz or test.
A reward is positive when a student passes the evaluation with a passing grade and it is negative, when a student fails and get a failing grade.
Judge Willie added that applying to this concept generally, Positive Reward is provided to employees who work in the interest of the organization and in accordance with the mission and objectives. Such employees are honored either by gowning them, providing the cash, increasing their salary or promoting them to higher positions based on their qualifications, integrity and upright performances.
On the other hand, those employees who do it perform towards attainment of the goals and policies of the organization but engage in dishonest conduct are usually reprimanded with suspension, demotion or dismissal from their job and it is this type of reward that is denoted as negative reward.
In summary, the application of this concept, as earlier stated comprises of positive or negative reward. The positive reward is intended to encourage or motivate those who are performing effectively, efficiently and honestly to accomplish more; whilst the negative reward is envisioned to serve as deterrence for those who engage in unethical and ineffectual conduct thereby bringing the organization to public disrepute.
Members of the Public Defenders office
“Conveying this model to the Judiciary; we observed over the years, where some of us have served pretty close to twenty years that, the Judiciary has only been applying the negative reward to judges, magistrates and other staff whose performances are not in harmony with goals of the Judiciary Inquiry Commission” he added.
He said for example, when a judge, magistrates or a staff transgresses the rules governing the courts or departments, he or she is either suspended without pay and in some instances, recommended for impeachment and or dismissal.
However, there is no commission established and responsible for positive reward that we know of this far, where Judges, magistrates and staffs who have served with distinction, honesty and integrity can be honored at a well-organized year and program; where a certificate, gown, cash token, increment in salary or promotion to a higher position will be provided as a means of inspiring them and others.
He noted that:
During the administration of his Honor James E. Jones, president of the National Trial Judges Association of Liberia (NATJL) and then Secretary General respectively, in an executive committee meeting of the NATJL, he coined a phrase “ProMotion from within the Judiciary “ and this phrase was explained in a communication submitted to the Supreme Court Bench; for the purpose of recommending to the Executive Branch of government competent and honest Judges and magistrates with integrity to be promoted to vacancy within within the Judiciary. We also appealed then to the Supreme Court Bench in that communication that, they should not only forward said recommendation but should make a passionate effort to ensure that the names recommended receive the appropriate appointment from the Executive.