“Judiciary is the Chief Cornerstone,” Says, Judge Smith 

River Gee Assigned Resident Circuit Judge, George Smith,  says the Judiciary is the chief-pillar cornerstone and foundation upon which the people and all other institutions, and organizations can rest on.

Delivering the Judge’s charges at the opening of court in River Gee County amid impediments at the Judiciary Branch of government, Judge Smith noted that Judges including Magistrates are confronted with an unconstitutional diminishment of judicial compensation by the government.

 According to him, the Legislature and Executive Branches of government were created from the judiciary Branch and as such,  it is that branch upon which people, natural human beings, and juristic beings like business organizations, must rest. 

It is the Branch of Government that must administer impartial justice, “the cornerstone of a nation. ” The Judiciary Branch is the “chief pillar,” “cornerstone” and the foundation upon which not only the other two Branches of the Legislature and Executive must rest, it is that branch upon which our people, natural human beings and juristic beings like business organizations, must rest.  

He further explained that if the cornerstone/foundation is weak, the whole nation might crumble. The pillar and cornerstone/foundation, the Judiciary, must therefore be strong enough to hold the Legislature, the Executive, and all those that rest upon it.

He revealed that it has been recognized that weakness in the Liberian Judiciary was one of the main factors leading to the Liberian 14-year Civil War. According to the International Crisis Group on Post-war Liberia (ICGPL), weakness in the Judiciary is due to long years of very low remuneration of judicial officers and staff.

“The reduction in the remuneration of judges and magistrates since the passage of the Remuneration Standardization Act (2019) gravely undermines judicial independence – judicial independence as regards the effective administration of justice,” he added.