The Alliance for Change (AFC) has issued a statement calling for the urgent and substantive appointment of a Chancellor and Chief Justice, highlighting what they describe as a significant gap in good governance and democracy in the country.
In their statement, the AFC expressed concern over the continued absence of substantive appointments to these critical judicial positions, stating, “This imperfection has to be taken care of.” They criticized the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) for seemingly favoring appointments in other sectors while neglecting the judiciary.
The AFC raised questions regarding the motivations behind this delay, suggesting that it may be influenced by the gender and ethnic composition of the current acting judicial heads. They urged that Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Justice Roxane George, who have been acting in their roles since 2017, should be formally appointed as Chancellor and Chief Justice, respectively.
“This should be the first order of business before imminent appointments to the Court of Appeal are made,” the party asserted, referencing comments from Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, who has publicly indicated his support for these appointments.
The AFC noted that there are no constitutional barriers preventing the appointments, as the Leader of the Opposition has already fulfilled his constitutional responsibilities in agreeing to the appointments. They reiterated that the President has the authority to proceed without further engagement.
Norton previously conveyed his agreement to the appointments in a letter to Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, stating that there should be no impediments to moving forward.
In response to previous concerns, President Irfaan Ali mentioned in September that the timing for the appointments had not yet arrived, emphasizing the need to finalize the Judicial Service Commission first.
The AFC concluded by stressing that while the government may be focused on publicizing new and refurbished courts, the judiciary is facing challenges that undermine its confidence and effectiveness. They called for immediate action to appoint the acting Chancellor and Chief Justice to restore integrity to the judiciary.
