Five new justices were sworn into the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, marking the highest number of appointments at one time in the country’s history.
The five new justices who took their oath of office before President Dr. Irfaan Ali at the Office of the President on Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown are Justices Jo Ann Barlow, Navindra Singh, Nareshwar Harnanan, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, and Joycelin Kyte-Thomas.
Two other appointees, Justice Damone Younge and Rafiq Khan, S.C., were unable to take their oath of office and will do so later.
Addressing the ceremony, the Head of State stated that the appointments mark a pivotal moment in both the lives of the appointees and the strengthening of the judicial system in Guyana.
“With such distinction comes a heightened responsibility,” he noted. “One that demands the utmost diligence, impartiality, and fidelity to the Constitution and laws of the Republic.”
The five justices, 60 per cent of whom are women, were appointed on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC). Their elevation comes at a time when the demand for timely and efficient appellate rulings is on the rise, the President said.
“The efficacy of any legal system is closely tied to the timeliness with which it dispenses justice,” Dr. Ali stated, adding that the appointments will help facilitate faster case resolution and boost public confidence in the judicial process.
While commending the appointees for their competence and dedication to the law, President Ali underscored the weight of their new responsibilities.
He reminded them that their judgments will “resonate beyond the litigants before [them],” shaping jurisprudence, influencing policy, and impacting citizens’ lives.
“You are expected to bring to your office scrupulous attention to detail, objectivity, impartiality, and an unassailable integrity,” he told them.
Calling judicial impartiality “the bulwark of a free and democratic society,” Dr. Ali urged the justices to guard it zealously and exercise it “without fear or favour.”
In 2023, the Court of Appeal (Amendment) Act No.5 allowed for an
increase in the number of appellate judges, thus facilitating the appointment of the newly appointed judges today.
The establishment of the Guyana Court of Appeal came under Article 83 of the constitution in 1966, which was composed of two to five judges.
This was the case for nearly six decades until April 2023, when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration increased the complement to nine. But with a growing caseload, it was further expanded to 11.
The Appellate Court serves to review appeals based on decisions and orders of the High Court.
