"He does Not Command the Judiciary": MP Pringle says PM's Attacks on Judges Undermine the Constitution

Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle has accused Prime Minister Gaston Browne of "bringing the justice system into chaos," warning that the Prime Minister's recent public statements about the courts amount to a constitutional issue rather than mere criticism of sentencing.

Appearing Monday night's Straight Talk on Progressive 107.3 FM, the United Progressive Party leader drew a sharp line between disagreement and intimidation.

"There is a major difference between criticizing a judgment and appearing to threaten consequences against a judge," MP Pringle told host Jason Mannix. "The Prime Minister has every right to disagree with a sentence. Every citizen has that right. But the executive has powers that ordinary citizens do not have, so the words of the Prime Minister carry special weight."

Judges must answer to the Law, Not the Executive

MP Pringle insisted that the judiciary "must be able to make decisions based on the constitution, the law, and the evidence — not based on fear of what the Prime Minister or the executive might do in response."

Asked whether a head of government should stay silent when he believes a sentence is inadequate, the Opposition Leader said no — but argued the constitutional remedy lies in Parliament, not political pressure.

"All that is required is to bring proposals to Parliament. If legislation needs strengthening, strengthen it. If prosecutors need greater resources, provide them," he said. "But do not try to achieve through political pressure what government has the constitutional authority to address through legislation."

"The Prime Minister leads the government," he added. "He does not command the judiciary. The judiciary has its role, the executive has its role, and Parliament has its role."

Why Ordinary Citizens should Care

Pressed on why the man in the bread shop or the lady in the salon should care about separation of powers, MP Pringle warned that any citizen could one day need the protection of an independent court — against a compulsory land acquisition, a rights violation by a public authority, or a wrongful accusation.

"You want to know when you walk into that courtroom that the judge answers to the constitution and the law, and not to the Prime Minister of the country," he said. "Judicial independence is not a privilege for judges. The reason the judiciary is independent is because it is the protection of citizens."

"Judges must be able to execute their duties according to the law without any intimidation by any politician," the Opposition Leader continued, adding that the courts' authority "is not something government grants — it is the constitution that grants that power."

Callers to the programme echoed the Opposition Leader's concerns, with one arguing that the Prime Minister's remarks about judges — including suggestions of bribery within the judiciary — were "undermining the justice system" while "making a mockery of the people."

MP Pringle said the pattern reflected a broader failure of accountability at the top. "When you listen to the utterances of the Prime Minister, you have to ask what it is he is trying to accomplish," he said. "If there's praise to get, the praise is for the minister. But when it's time to be accountable to the people, it's somebody else. The people of Antigua and Barbuda cannot be bamboozled any longer."