Former Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal Judge, Denys Barrow, has filed a claim against the government of St Lucia for his retirement benefits.
Barrow, a Belizean, said in a statement that he was forced to file a claim against the government of St Lucia because it has been ignoring his claim, and even failed to acknowledge receipt of letters of inquiry.
In his statement, Barrow said that after his resignation he returned to his homeland Belize and started a private practice. He said that he later decided to leave private practice and become a judge in Belize because he treated the expected pension benefits as part of his financial resources.
He added that now that expectation has been removed he has been forced to resign as a judge of the Court of Appeal of Belize.
Barrow, who is the brother of Belize prime minister, Dean Barrow, to the surprise of attorneys and judges tendered his resignation to Governor General Sir Colville Young on Tuesday, less than 18 months after he was sworn in.
He is only 58 years of age and his tenure as an appellate court judge would have ended at the age of 75.
His resignation takes effect on February 28.
The current panel of appellate court judges in the Central American state comprises: Belizean Manuel Sosa, the president; Justices Denis Morrison, a Jamaican, and Dominican Sir Bryan Alleyne.
