From Dr F. Depasquale

Reference is made to Dr Lorraine Schembri Orland’s letter titled “Casting aside the Constitution” (TMIS, 26 November).

The Chamber of Advocates does not consider an exchange of letters in a newspaper as the proper forum to seriously debate the constitutionality or otherwise of an appointment to the judiciary. Furthermore, it is of the opinion that the allegations raised by Dr Schembri Orland are not consonant with the respect owed to the Law Courts by a member of the Bar.

Dr Schembri Orland surprisingly chose to ascribe to the committee some sort of desire to defend the Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Justice and Home Affairs. Suffice it to say that the Chamber’s record criticising the Executive in the manner it deems most appropriate at the time is there for all to see, and is not diminished by epithets of the type Dr Schembri Orland sees fit to pronounce.

Her remarks on the Chamber and its committee are in stark contrast to her recent communications to the same committee, lauding it for its stand in defending lawyers against the public remarks made by the Parliamentary Secretary, particularly with reference to the lawyers practising in the Family Court.

The committee feels that it should not engage itself further in any exchange of correspondence that can have no constructive outcome and which serves solely to cause further damage to the respect due to the judiciary and the legal profession.

Francesco Depasquale

Secretary