Amidst an impasse between President David Granger and Opposition Leader Dr Bharrat Jagdeo over the substantive appointment of a Chancellor and Chief Justice (CJ) of the Judiciary, the legal fraternity is calling for the substantive confirmation of acting Chancellor Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire.
President of the Guyana Bar Association Kamal Ramkarran made this declaration this morning which was received with resounding applause from an audience packed with legal luminaries who gathered for the inaugural Guyana Oil and Gas Law Training Development Conference that was put together by the top judicial officers, Justices Cummings-Edwards and George-Wiltshire.
Further re-enforcing the Association’s position, Ramkarran told reporters that the legal fraternity as a whole is happy with and confident in the two distinguished women currently heading the Judiciary.
President David Granger is now seeking legal advice on the way forward after his nominees for the Chancellor and CJ positions, Justice Kenette Benjamin and Justice Cummings-Edwards respectively were rejected by Jagdeo, whose approval is needed for a substantive appointment.
Government has since come under fire for overlooking Justice Cummings-Edwards for the top judicial post; demoting her to the Chief Justice position and not considering Justice George-Wiltshire.
