The 10 persons who were recommended by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) for appointment as new Judges, will receive their instruments of appointment today from President Dr Irfaan Ali.
These appointees were selected by the JSC, to increase the complement of puisne judges to help tackle the huge backlog of cases in the High Court. Among those to be appointed to the top judicial post is Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus. 
Magistrates Peter Hugh, who is currently stationed in the Berbice Magisterial District, and Zamilla Ally-Seepaul, who is at the Leonora Magistrates’ Court, are also on the list.
Deputy Solicitor General, Deborah Kumar, and Commissioners of Title and Judges of the Land Court, Nicola Pierre and Priscilla Chandra-Hanif, were recommended to be appointed as puisne judges.
Also on the list are Head of Legal Department (Deputy-Commissioner) at the Guyana Revenue Authority, Hessaun Yasin, and GRA’s Deputy Commissioner Inland Revenue – International Taxation Law, Joy Persaud along with Secretary to Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Board, Nigel Niles.
In addition, Guyanese-born High Court judge at the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Justice Jacquiline Josiah Graham, has also been named by the JSC for appointment… out of a field of 37 applicants who had originally applied to fill the post.
“These persons will take the oath of office before His Excellency, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali, President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, on Wednesday, June 26, 2024, at 3:00 pm,” a statement from the JSC said.
For the Supreme Court of Judicature, which consists of the High Courts in each of the three counties and the Court of Appeal, the JSC has been looking to appoint Puisne Judges, Commissioners of Title (Land Court Judges), and a Deputy Registrar for the High Court in Berbice.
Back in January, Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister, Anil Nandlall, S.C., had disclosed that at least nine Puisne Judges were going to be appointed in the High Court this year along with two Commissioners of Title and six Justices of Appeal.
Back in April, three new Commissioners of Title, who will be posted to serve in the Land Courts at Berbice, Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) and at Suddie, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) were sworn in. The newly appointed Land Court Judges selected by the JSC are Magistrate Renita Singh, Magistrate Esther Sam, and Magistrate Christel Lambert.
During his presentation in the 2024 Budget debates back in January, Nandlall disclosed that at least 10 Magistrates will be appointed this year, bringing the total number of magistrates to 29. Additionally, the Legal Affairs Minister had also announced that new posts have also been created within the magistracy to accommodate for the large intake of cases. One of these new posts that were created is that of Deputy Chief Magistrate.
Already, nine new magistrates were sworn-in back in February: Tuanna Hardy, Teriq Mohammed, Abigail Gibbs, Tamieka Clarke, Orinthia Schmidt, Shivani Lalaram, Michelle Matthias, Omadatt Chandan, and Ravindra Mohabir.
AG Nandlall had noted that the reconstitution of the Judicial Service Commission in July 2023 paved the way for these critical judicial appointments to be made.
The new JSC was appointed by President Dr Irfaan Ali on July 14, 2023. The Commission members are Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards; Chief Justice (ag), Roxane George; Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Manniram Prashad; Retired Justice Carl Singh and Retired Justice Beasraj Singh (BS) Roy. The Chancellor sits as Chairman of the Commission.
The JSC is a constitutional body responsible for handling matters related to the appointment, discipline, removal, and promotion of judicial officers, including judges and magistrates.
Following its appointment, the Commission late last year published vacancies to fill the personnel gaps within the judiciary and magistracy.
