Pres Ali to swear in Chief Justice as acting Chancellor

…Norton snubs consultation

President Irfaan Ali is set to appoint Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George to act as Chancellor of the Judiciary as Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton continues to debate what constitutes “meaningful consultation” as required by the Constitution.
The move to appoint Chief Justice (ag) George to act as Chancellor follows the approval of two months of outstanding leave for acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings.
Nevertheless, despite the president’s formal letter informing the opposition leader of his intentions and requesting feedback by July 18, 2025, no response was received.
On Tuesday, during his weekly programme ‘Issues in the News’, Attorney General Anil Nandlall SC addressed the matter, emphasising that the President had fulfilled his constitutional obligation to initiate consultation and that silence from the opposition leader does not equal a veto.
“A leadership vacuum in an important institution such as the judiciary for such a protracted period of time, and indicated to the Leader of the Opposition that he is considering appointing to act in that position, the Honourable Roxanne George, and the President made reference to Article 127.2 of the Constitution… and indicated to the Leader of the Opposition his desire to appoint Chief Justice George to act as Chancellor,” Nandlall explained.
“He gave a deadline for response, July 18. That date has come and gone. There has been no reply. And consultation, as the High Court has ruled, is not a one-way street.”
The Office of Chancellor of the Judiciary, Guyana’s top judicial position, has remained without a substantive appointee for nearly two decades. Currently, Justice Roxane George serves as acting Chief Justice, while Justice Yonnette Cummings-Edwards serves as acting Chancellor.
However, with the Chancellor on extended leave from July to October, the President signalled his intent to have Justice George temporarily elevated.
While Norton has claimed publicly that the President is violating the Constitution, Nandlall shot back with judicial precedent, stating, “This is not the first time the courts have had to interpret what ‘meaningful consultation’ means,” Nandlall said, referencing legal rulings during the appointment of Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken.
“In every case, the court has made it clear: the President must consult—but the other side must respond.”
In legal terms, the absence of response is not deemed a breach on the President’s part. According to the AG, the courts have ruled that constitutional appointments cannot be held hostage by non-engagement from the opposition.
With mounting pressure to prevent a leadership vacuum in one of the most vital arms of state, the attorney general has made clear that Guyana cannot afford institutional paralysis.
“The judiciary is a sacred pillar of our democracy,” Nandlall noted. “And it is highly desirable that there is no vacuum in the apex offices of that institution.”
“The President is engaging in this process in accordance with the letter and spirit of the constitutional definition of what constitutes meaningful consultation. Now we are not without guidance on what constitutes meaningful consultation in the constitutional context… The time delimited by the President for a response has now expired. So, we have to wait and see how this matter unfolds. But in my respectful view, the President, having not received any response from the Leader of the Opposition in the time specified, can proceed to appoint as he desires,” he explained.
Norton’s non-response comes at a time when he himself has called for Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings–Edwards and Chief Justice Roxane George to be confirmed in the substantive posts.