The bill which Attorney General (AG) and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall SC tabled last year in the National Assembly to increase the number of judges sitting in the Court of Appeal to at least nine was passed yesterday in the National Assembly.
The law had provided for not less than two and not more than five judges for Guyana’s Court of Appeal.
The Act seeks to amend Section 34 of the Principal Act by substituting the words “two” and “five” with “five” and “nine.”
The Bill seeks to amend Section 34(1) of the Court of Appeal Act, Cap. 3:01, which presently, provides that the judges of the Court of Appeal shall include not less than two and not more than five justices of appeal.
Clause 2 of the bill amends Section 34(1) to provide that the complement of Court of Appeal judges shall now include not less than five and not more than nine Justices of Appeal.
To complement the bill, Nandlall last evening told the National Assembly that recently millions have been expended on expansion and renovation works at the Court of Appeal building which includes an additional courtroom and larger facilities “to permit two sittings of the Court of Appeal simultaneously.”
He stressed that this measure which might seem small will positively affect the overall administration of justice in Guyana adding that the government held consultations with the judiciary and legal profession which saw support for the bill.
According to him, it is hoped that in addition to there being more frequent sittings of the Court of Appeal in Georgetown with the availability of two courtrooms, “there will be sittings of the Court of Appeal in the other two counties of Essequibo and Berbice where Guyanese from those counties can have their appeals heard and determine in those counties without them having to travel to Georgetown.”
He further stressed, that such an innovation would not only improve efficiency and speed but can lend to a higher quality of jurisprudence and learning.
He said, that the expectation also is that Guyana can attract judges not only from the Caribbean but the wider Commonwealth and possibly the United Kingdom.
AFC Parliamentarian, Khemraj Ramjattan during his presentation stated that he was glad that the attorney general saw it fit to bring the bill to the House, as he stressed “I commend this bill for passage.”
While the bill will allow the number of judges to be increased, the Judicial Service Commission which is to hire judges is still to be composed despite numerous promises by President Irfaan Ali and Nandlall.
