Expert calls for change to Bailiff’s States role

Wednesday 28th July 2004, 12:00AM BST.

THE Bailiff should no longer act as speaker of the States because of changes to the role of judges, according to a Jerseyman who is an expert in constitutional law.

Professor Andrew Le Sueur, a specialist adviser to the House of Commons Constitutional Affairs Committee, told the recent Jersey Law Review conference held in London that the time had come for the Bailiff’s responsibilities to change.

Prof Le Sueur told an audience – including the current Bailiff, Sir Philip Bailhache – that the role of a judge would change when the Island enacted the Human Rights Law.

Until now, he said, the function of a judge had been to work out what the States meant to achieve by passing particular legislation by looking at the words used in that law.

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