Two days after he said there was no conflict of interest between his appointments as Integrity Commission chairman and head of the Retired Judges’ Association, Zainool Hosein has resigned as head of the association. In a three-line press release, dated November 24, Justice Clebert Brooks, secretary of the association, confirmed the resignation.
Hosein was sworn in as chairman of the Integrity Commission by President Anthony Carmona at President’s House, St Ann’s, last Friday. At the time, when questioned about the possible conflict of interest, Hosein reportedly said: “The association will continue and I still remain a retired judge and I still remain the head of that association. There is no conflict of interest or duty, as there is no conflict of any salary involved.”
Pressed about the association’s intention to lobby the Government to increase the pensions of retired judges, Hosein responded: “That does not come within the scope of this interview. If you want to deal with the Retired Judges’ Association, you will have to speak to me when I am wearing a different hat.” Hosein, who retired from the Court of Appeal in 1998, was also instrumental in calling for the passage of the Judges Salaries and Pensions Bill.
Elaborating on how he felt taking the oath for a second time, Hosein last week said he did not want to move into the future “backwards.” He was sworn in as a commissioner in May 2009 but resigned within hours, saying President George Maxwell Richards had promised him the deputy chairmanship.
The People’s National Movement had also expressed concerns about a possible conflict of interest as the former Appeal Court judge was one of three legal experts who gave former minister Jack Warner a legal opinion on the Concacaf ethics report by Sir David Simmons in April 2013. In an interview last week, former public service head Reginald Dumas said Hosein, as head of the Association of Retired Judges, did not preclude his being appointed to the Integrity Commission.
Dumas said: “After all, Mr Hosein was not doing anything illegal in his former lobby. “However, that will clearly have to stop as he cannot be Integrity Commission chairman and chairman of a group lobbying Parliament for increased pensions. I have no doubt he knows that and will act appropriately.” Hosein could not be reached for comment yesterday.
What the release said
“The Retired Judges’ Association wishes to advise that Justice Zainool Hosein, recently appointed as chairman of the Integrity Commission, has relinquished his post as chairman of the Retired Judges’ Association. The association will be administered by a three-person committee, retired Justices Brooks, (Roger) Hamel-Smith and (Lionel) Jones, until further notice.”