Gordon Ward

For other people named Gordon Ward, see Gordon Ward (disambiguation).

Sir Frederik Gordon Roy Ward OBE is a retired British judge who has served in various countries of the Commonwealth. He was Chief Justice of Tonga and a judge of the Supreme Court of Tonga.[1] He resigned this post in protest at attempts to ban the Times of Tonga newspaper, a paper unsympathetic to the government, a move which he considered to be unconstitutional. On leaving this post, he took up a new position as the President of the Appeal Court of Fiji.[2] In 2007, following the December 2006 military coup, Ward and five other judges resigned as judges of the courts of Fiji.[3]

Ward is the current Chief Justice of the High Court of Tuvalu.[1][2] In May 2013 the Chief Justice ruled on the application of the Tuvaluan Opposition regarding the calling of a by-election for the vacant seat in Nukufetau,[4] which led to the Nukufetau by-election, 2013.[5] The Chief Justice was forced to conduct the legal proceedings by email as a consequence of being unable to travel from New Zealand to Tuvalu via Fiji as the Fijian government refused to provide Sir Gordon Ward with a visa that allowed him to travel from New Zealand to Fiji and then to transit to Tuvalu.[6] The Government of Tuvalu has attempted to resolve the matter with the Government of Fiji.[2][7][8]

Ward served as a judge on the Court of Appeal of the Solomon Islands. He was the Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Ward was knighted in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to the judiciary in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Commonwealth.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Susan Boyd (2003), "Australian judges at work internationally", Australian Law Journal, vol. 77, p. 303 at 305.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Tuvalu govt yet to address Fiji travel ban on Chief Justice". Radio New Zealand International. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2013.
  3. ↑ "Two Malaysian judges appointed to Fiji Court of Appeal". Radio New Zealand International. 4 September 2007. Retrieved 26 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "Attorney General, In re Application under Section 131(1) of the Constitution of Tuvalu [2014] TVHC 15; Civil Case 1.2013 (24 May 2013)". PACLII. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Matau, Robert (June 2013). "Tuvalu's high court orders by-election to be held". Island Business. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  6. ↑ "Tuvalu Judge unable to transit via Fiji". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Tuvalu hopes Fiji’s travel ban on chief justice sorted quickly". Radio New Zealand International. 16 August 2013. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
  8. ↑ "Visa issue between Chief Justice Ward and Fiji Government says Tuvalu PM". Island Business from FENUI NEWS/PACNEWS. 22 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 60009. p. 2. 31 December 2011.