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Chief Justice lauds launch of ‘The Admiral’
The Chief Justice, Mrs Georgina Theodora Wood, has lauded the launch of “The Admiral”, a book which outlines maritime law and international trade.
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At the launch of the book, the Chief Justice congratulated all stakeholders who contributed to the launch of the book, which she said would serve as a ready reference for judges of the Supreme Courts, maritime lawyers and researchers.
“This book was as a result of the hard work and perseverance of all stakeholders in the maritime industry, lawyers and judges in the country,” she stated.
With the introduction of the book, she said the country had set itself on the path of progress in the maritime industry.
She explained that the honour accorded judges stemmed from the recognition that under constitutional bravadoes, rule of law could only effectively operate within a framework of laws, including maritime laws, which are beautifully administered by independent people of sound knowledge in the various discipline in law with integrity.
“The event, therefore, adds to the irreversible attempt we have made through continuing judicial education to build the judicial marcels and intellectual capacity of our justices in maritime laws,” he added.
She emphasised that new technology was presently driving growth in existing industries and opening up new fields of endeavour and, therefore, this had created opportunity for judges in the country to build their capacity to meet the needs of time.
The Admiral
‘The Admiral – A Compendium’ is a 1,049-page book presented by internationally acclaimed and seasoned experts at the annual Maritime Seminar Series for judges of the superior court of judicature.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers Authority, Dr Kofi Mbiah, said the objective of producing the compendium was to ensure a deeper appreciation of the nuances in the maritime industry.
He indicated that the book was also meant to keep judges in the country abreast of new developments in the dynamic field of maritime law and international trade.
“For easy comprehension and research, the book has been arranged under specific topics. It is divided into nine parts with 38 chapters and covers topics such as admiralty and practice, the carriage of goods by sea, marine insurance, and oil and gas law,” he said.
Dr Mbiah also stated that other topics in the compendium cover aspects of public international law, the sale and purchase of ships and maritime boundary delimitation, saying “these topics touch on key issues of relevance essential for the development of our maritime law jurisprudence”.
“This compendium is the result of our collective efforts. I have often made the point that in view of the international character of the business of maritime trade and transport, the legal rules that attend to its operations are also international in character,” he added.
Providing quick reference
For his part, the Minister of Transport, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, said the objective of producing the Admiral Compendium was to provide a quick source of reference for judges of the Supreme Court to ensure quality judicial interpretations and adjudication of disputes.
“The recent discovery of oil and gas and its exploitation offshore also brings about some legal implications which require readily available and reliable reference source, as well as training of the judiciary,” he noted.
Mr Asiamah indicated that it was, therefore, very important that the judiciary was continuously updated on internationally accepted laws, as well as local rules and legislation in this area of operation.