Georgetown, Guyana – (May, 17 2017) Two members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) were today, sworn in by President David Granger, at State House. The President has said that the Commission is an indispensable element of Guyana’s legal framework, the existence of which will ensure the maintenance of an independent judiciary.
The JSC is a constitutionally established body, which holds the authority to make appointments and to remove and exercise disciplinary control over persons holding or acting in such offices. “The ‘Commission’ is the guardian of judicial autonomy. It is the defender of its independence. It is the protector of its integrity and impartiality… The JSC upholds the independence of the judiciary. It ensures by its diligence that judicial appointees possess the attributes and embody the personal values, which make them capable and willing to resist being influenced by improper partisan and personal interests,” the President said.
The newly appointed members of the Commission are Acting Chief Justice, Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire and newly appointed Acting Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Mr. Patrick Yarde. The President said that the JSC is also intended to insulate judicial appointments from political partisanship and personal and other biases while also ensuring that its recommendations for appointments of judicial officers flow from a dispassionate and objective process and are based on clearly defined criteria applied in assessing the appropriateness of appointees.
“The JSC is the custodian of the values and standards of ethical and legal probity by judges and judicial officials. The JSC must zealously ensure that the personal conduct of judges does not bring the judicature into disrepute. It must preserve and protect the system’s integrity,” the President said.
The Head of State congratulated the newly sworn-in members of the Commission and urged that they discharge their mandate in a manner that will safeguard the high ideals and standards which should characterise the country’s judicature.
The swearing in ceremony of the Judicial Service Commission brought to an end a packed day of similar events, which saw the several constitutional offices being filled. The President also administered the Oath of Office to Guyana’s new Ombudsman, two Court of Appeal Judges and the members of the Public Service Appellate Tribunal. These appointments are testimony of Government’s commitments to ensuring the effective functioning of Constitutional offices.
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