The 30th July 2008 written judgment of the Privy Council Appeal No. 29 of 2007 (Angela Inniss v. The Attorney General of St. Christopher and Nevis) has vindicated a daughter of the soil.
Lawyer Angela Inniss had her contract as Registrar of the High Court and Additional Magistrate terminated in 1998 by the Douglas Administration without any recommendation from the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. Ms Inniss decided to take legal action against the Government for wrongful dismissal and for damages for loss of reputation and won her case.
The High Court judge described Ms Inniss as “a young woman of deep feelings and convictions” who executed her duties with “the utmost seriousness, with iron determination to stand upon principle, come what may”. Justice Stanley Moore went on to describe Ms Inniss in the following glowing terms:
“The principle of the independence of the judiciary and its officers from executive interference or executive control was one of the principles which she held sacred, and she vigorously resisted any conduct by any member of the Executive which she judged to be in violation of that principle”.
Justice Moore believed that the termination letter was a contravention of section 83(3) of the Constitution and ordered the Government to pay her damages in the sum of EC$100,000. A subsequent appeal by the Government to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court was allowed and the Court ruled that there was no constitutional violation but a breach of contract. Ms Inniss decided to appeal to the Privy Council and won her appeal
The Privy Council has ruled that the order of the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court be set aside and that the judgment of Justice Stanley Moore be restored.
The Women’s Group of the People’s Action Movement congratulates Lawyer Inniss on her well-deserved victory. She has been a shining example of a true patriot and exemplary civil servant to the women of our Nation. We wish her continued success in her future endeavours.
