A-G to Justice Gates: You Stood For Right And Justice

The Acting Prime Minister and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum yesterday acknowledged the dedication and service by outgoing Chief Justice Anthony Gates to the Fijian judiciary.

“Words will never capture that totality of what you have given Fiji and our people; but, on behalf of the Fijian Government and the people, I would like to add my own voice to the outpouring of gratitude across the nation,” he said at the launch of the Laws of Fiji online.

“Following the abrogation of the Constitution in 2009, when others left the judiciary or chose to sit on the proverbial fence, Chief Justice Gates stood firm to serve the Fijian people and to ensure that justice was delivered to all Fijians.

“You stood up against forces of interference when few others would. You helped preserve the rule of law in a tumultuous time. You stood with Fiji. You stood with the Fijian people. You stood for their right to justice. You put self-interest aside, and you stood for something bigger than yourself. The courage of that stance will never be forgotten.

“By upholding the rule of law in a difficult time, you helped carry Fiji towards the formulation and passage of the 2013 Fijian Constitution and on to the 2014 Elections in fact Chief Justice Gates was acting President when he signed the writ of elections for the 2014 elections, our first-ever genuine parliamentary elections.

“Today, we see your legacy all around us. We see it in the strength of our independent judiciary.

“We see it in the confidence the Fijian people hold in our system of law.”

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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