Thanks, Justice Morrison; welcome Justice Brooks

LAST Friday, one of Jamaica’s finest sons closed the door on his professional time as a judge of this nation’s Court of Appeal, and in this specific case, its president. Mr Justice C Dennis Morrison retired, officially, on December 4, his 70th birthday, and, oh, what a fine career he has had.

Without going into detail about his over 45 years of service to the legal fraternity and the judiciary, which would require the space of 10 newspapers this size, Justice Morrison has done exceptionally well.

His only blemish might be that he attended certain high schools at Old Hope Road and Heroes’ Circle and, to compound the problem, he was knocking heads with one Paul Buchanan Esq at the same time, the latter who still argues that he was one of the contenders for the Rhodes Scholarship won by Morrison, his classmate, during the mid 1970s. The fact that Justice Morrison was born in December though, and a Sagittarian at that, makes him even more special.

But, what a man! He is a shining example of the talent that Jamaica ought to be producing. Like his predecessor Mr Justice Seymour Panton,

Justice Patrick Brooks

Justice Morrison believed, to the core, in fair play — notwithstanding who you are in society, or how powerful you think you might be. He will leave behind a long-lasting legacy.

Justice C Dennis Morrison

The Court of Appeal, though, will be in safe hands, what with the many capable individuals there to guide it through choppy seas, led by the more than able Mr Justice Patrick Brooks.

It is good that there was no repeat of Justice Brooks being made to act, like Chief Justice Bryan Sykes was forced to. Hopefully, those days are over.