President Irfaan Ali is seeking the agreement of outgoing Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on the appointment of Justice Roxane George as substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary and Justice Navindra Singh as substantive Chief Justice.

Mr. Norton received the letter from the Government this afternoon, even as the President was preparing to announce the early retirement of Justice Yonette Cummings who has been serving in the position of Acting Chancellor since 2017. The President in his announcement said he has granted Justice Cummings’ request for early retirement.

He also announced that Justice Roxane George will continue to act as Chancellor as Justice Navindra Singh will continue to act as Chief Justice. Justice Singh, as Acting Chief Justice, took the oath of office late this afternoon as a member of the Judicial Service Commission.

The letter to Mr. Norton seeking agreement on the top two judicial appointments marks the first time that the President is seeking such agreement on the substantive appointments since taking office in 2020.

It also comes more than three years after the President ignored Mr. Norton’s letter to him which expressed support for the substantive appointments of Justices Cummings and George to the top judicial posts.

Now as Norton is on his way out as Opposition Leader with a new Parliament being convened in a week, the President is moving to have the substantive appointments made before a new Opposition Leader takes office. The new Opposition Leader is expected to be Leader of the WIN Party, Azruddin Mohamed, as his party will me heading into the new Parliament with the most seats on the Opposition side of the House.

News Source understands that Mr. Norton has been consulting other party officials and legal counsel on the President’s request. A senior party official said based on the feedback he has received, there will be no agreement to the President’s nominees. Another party official said the President had five years to seek agreement on substantive appointments and made no moves. The official said it is clear that he wanted Justice Cummings out of the way to have his preferred choices in place.

At a press conference earlier today, Mr. Norton said when Justice Cummings was heading off on accumulated vacation leave in July, the President’s office informed him of temporary acting appointments being made until her return.

Justice Cummings returned to her office this week, but will be heading off into pre-retirement leave on Monday as she will be taking up early retirement.

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