BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — Jamaican-born jurist, Franz Parke, has resigned as a member of the Court of Appeal here, just more than two months after his appointment as a judge sparked controversy here.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister late Monday said that it was “in receipt of a copy of a letter sent to the Governor General Sir Colville Young by Justice of Appeal Franz Parke in which he tendered his resignation from the Belize Court of Appeal with immediate effect”.

The brief statement said it “understands that Justice Parke made his decision in order to spare the court any exposure that a trial on the issue of his tenure would create”.

Opposition Leader John Briceño, who was among individuals opposed to the appointment, has since said he would be withdrawing his claim before the court on the issue. The main Opposition People’s United Party (PUP), in a statement, said it was “grateful that Mr Parke, in the end, demonstrated the moral fortitude, respect and regard for the court and the country, which unfortunately (Prime Minister Dean) Barrow did not”.

The opposition to Parke’s appointment included claims that he had not practised in the Caribbean since 1980 despite graduating from law school with Prime Minister Barrow in 1975.

In September, Barrow told reporters that he “genuinely do not see the fact that the bulk of Mr Parke’s practising experience has been in the United States, more time practising in the United States than in the Caribbean, I do not see that as a disqualification.

“And when I look at the constitution, what is required is that this person should have been entitled to practice in our jurisdiction for a certain number of years and he was so entitled from 1975,” he said, noting that the Jamaican jurist had served as a temporary judge here.

“I had no complaints from the president of the court or from any other member of the court, and I am convinced that Franz, as bright as he is and with all the experience that he has, will make a fine Justice of Appeal,” Barrow said then.

But the PUP, with support from the Bar Association, the Chamber of Commerce, unions and other stakeholders, had argued otherwise and filed a legal challenge that was scheduled for trial next Monday, December 11.

Briceño said that Prime Minister Barrow needs now to “start to look for making another appointment, but someone that can meet the qualifications that is expected of a justice at the level of the Court of Appeal.

“This matter of writing you a letter and saying by writing you a letter I have consulted and I can do as I wish is no longer going to work. Because if we feel that again he’s trying to ram down somebody that’s friendly to him and could potentially be answerable to him, we will object, and we will then go again to our social partners as we did with this case and get the support and if necessary go and challenge it in court,” he added.