The Government of Guyana remains silent on the controversy that has erupted at the top of the local Judiciary with Justice Yonette Cummings returning from leave to continue her role as Acting Chancellor, and Justice Roxane George, who was acting as Chancellor while Cummings was on leave, finding herself without a Chamber as Justice Navindra Singh continues to hold on to the position of Acting Chief Justice, which was the post being held previously by Justice George.

While Government officials are quiet on the issue, News Source understands that several behind the scenes meetings have been taking place.

It is expected that in the coming days, according to multiple sources, Justice Yonette Cummings could find herself being asked to take early retirement or revert to her substantive role as a Justice of Appeal, which would place her below the rankings of the Acting Chancellor and the Acting Chief Justice, although she has been serving as Acting Chancellor since 2017.

An early retirement could see her being sent off with a retirement package that would be consistent with her having served as Acting Chancellor.

In Court this morning, Justice Navindra Singh made it clear to a group of Attorneys during a hearing that he is the Chief Justice. He made the point loudly, according to a number of Attorneys who were present, after a senior Attorney made reference to Acting Chief Justice Roxane George.

Justice George spent her Friday morning attending a Magistrates’ Conference. She was introduced at that Conference as just Justice George and not Acting Chancellor or Acting Chief Justice, although she offered welcoming remarks in a slot that was set aside on the programme for the Acting Chancellor.

For her part, Justice Yonette Cummings was in the Chambers of the Acting Chancellor this morning at the Court of Appeal, even as the whispers about the confusion that is taking place is becoming louder within the Chambers of other Judges and Senior Attorneys.

When Justice Cummings headed off on two months accumulated leave in early August, the President’s Office indicated that the appointment of Justice Roxane George as Acting Chancellor and the appointment of Justice Navindra Singh as Acting Chief Justice were “temporary”. Additionally, the Minister of Governance Gail Teixiera in a letter to Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton in July also indicated that the appointments of Justices George and Singh to act in the top two judicial posts would be until the return of Justice Cummings.

Senior Government Officials are now of the view that the appointments by the President in August still holds and supersedes previous appointments.

Guyana continues to be without a substantive Chancellor and a substantive Chief Justice as those two appointments could only be made with the agreement the Leader of the Opposition. Three years ago, Opposition Leader Norton had indicated that he would have no objections to Justice Cummings being made substantive Chancellor and Justice George being made substantive Chief Justice. However, the President never acted on making any substantive appointments.

Related posts:

Correspondence from Government clarified that acting Judicial appointments in August were temporary -Norton Controversy erupts over Acting Judicial appointments as Justice Cummings returns from leave Acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings returns to work President makes temporary appointments of Justice George as Acting Chancellor and Justice Singh as Acting Chief Justice