In a late afternoon statement to the nation, President Irfaan Ali announced that Justice Yonette Cummings, who has been Acting Chancellor since 2017, will be heading off on early retirement.

The President said Justice Cummings, who returned from two months of vacation leave this week, wrote to him today seeking pre-retirement leave from next Monday as she heads off into early retirement. He said her request was granted.

“Today Madam Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards, CCH, OR, requested my approval to proceed on pre-retirement leave with effect from Monday 27th of October 2025 and on early retirement. After due consideration, I acceded to this request. I take this opportunity to thank Madam Justice Cummings Edwards for her long service to the judiciary and the people of Guyana. I express my personal appreciation for her many years of public service. I wish her God’s blessings and that of the people of Guyana. In these circumstances, Madam Justice Roxane George-Wilshire will continue to act in the Office of Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice Navindra Singh in the Office of the Chief Justice. Mr. Justice Navindra Singh was sworn in today as a member of the Judicial Service Commission”, the President said.

The President’s announcement came hours after News Source reported that plans were afoot to get Justice Cummings to head off into early retirement.

Justice Yonette Cummings was reportedly told that she should seek 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.

Early retirement allows her to be 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 was taking place became louder in the chambers of a number of Judges and Attorneys.

When Justice Cummings headed off on two months accumulated leave in July, 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.

Guyana continues to be without a substantive Chancellor and a substantive Chief Justice as those two appointments could only be made with the agreement of the Leader of the Opposition.

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