The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has announced the appointment of seven new judges for the Court of Appeal – the highest number ever appointed at one time in the country’s history.
The appointees are Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, Justice Navindra Singh, Justice Nareshwar Harnanan, Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Joycelin Kyte-Thomas, Justice Damone Younge, and Rafiq Khan, S.C.
Five of the seven judges are set to be sworn in on Wednesday, while the remaining two – Justice Damone Younge and Rafiq Khan, S.C. – will take the oath at a later date due to administrative responsibilities.
Justice Barlow has served as a High Court Judge since 2015 and was called to the bar in 1996. She previously worked in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for nearly two decades, rising to the rank of Deputy Director.
Justice Singh, a High Court Judge since 2012, brings over a decade of judicial experience and has also been admitted to practice law in New York. His extensive background includes high-profile criminal and civil cases.
Justice Harnanan joined the bench in 2012 after 11 years in the Attorney General’s Chambers. A Chevening Scholar with a Master’s in International Commercial Law, he is also involved in advancing technology within the justice system.
Justice Sewnarine-Beharry served as Chief Magistrate before her appointment to the High Court in 2015. A passionate advocate for legal education, she is affiliated with judicial reform bodies and committees on criminal procedure.
Kyte-Thomas brings over 23 years of legal experience, having served as Solicitor General and lecturer at the University of Guyana. She holds two Master of Laws degrees and a Doctorate in Conflict Resolution.
The JSC described the appointments as “a historic move,” emphasising that it marks the first time so many appellate judges have been selected simultaneously.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, S.C., speaking during his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News,’ said these appointees will now allow the Court of Appeal to operate as an itinerant court, capable of sitting in all three counties simultaneously.
“You can have three judges sitting in Berbice, three in Essequibo, and three in Georgetown. It matters not where they sit, once they are able to do the work. That, I believe, will reduce the backlog,” he said.
He added that the recently expanded Court of Appeal building in Kingston, Georgetown, now supports multiple courtrooms, which was previously impossible due to spatial constraints.
