Former High Court president Peter Kelly has said he has decided to resign as a judge of the Dubai International Financial Centre Courts .
His resignation comes just days after former Irish Chief Justice Frank Clarke announced on Saturday he had submitted his resignation as a judge of the Court of Appeal of the DIFC courts. The two retired Irish judges were the first Irish appointees to the DIFC courts and news of their appointment provoked a mixed reaction in legal circles here, with most critics highlighting the poor human rights record of the UAE and some voicing concern issues about a perceived commercialisation of the judicial office. Others said the retired judges are private citizens and believed the appointments would enhance the international reputation of the Irish legal system.
On Saturday, Mr Clarke said in a statement he had submitted his resignation as a judge of the DIFC courts to the Chief Justice of that court. An announcement posted by DIFC on its website on Tuesday concerning the recent appointments of new judges omitted any reference to Mr Clarke having been among last week’s appointees.
The learned retiree has learned a few more things about his less learned compatriots. I bet he removed the harp from his desk and replaced it with a photo of Brendan Behan.