Justice Kennard refuses to apologise for telling City Mayor to ‘shut up’

Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into City Hall, Justice Cecil Kennard says he has no apology for telling Mayor of Georgetown, Patricia Chase Green to shut up during her appearance at the CoI on Friday last.

The Mayor was asked to “shut up” while answering a question during cross-examination by a lawyer representing the CoI.

Justice Kennard accused the Mayor of being rude to which she responded that she was not, after which he said: “Can you shut up?”

Before the start of Monday’s session where Town Clerk, Royston King was set to appear, Justice Kennard said: “I have no apology for making that statement.”

Justice Kennard has been accused of being biased following Friday’s exchange with the city Mayor but the Chairman said that during his 56 years as a lawyer, he was never accused of being biased.

“I have presided in hundreds of cases and no one has accused me of being biased and I don’t intend to be biased,” Justice Kennard said.

He further noted: “I can assure all that I intend to act according to the evidence presented here and I intend to perform my duty in accordance with the oath I have taken to ensure a proper investigation is conducted and recommendations are made.”

Justice Kennard sought to assure that regardless of political affiliations, he will conduct his duties in a fair manner.