Norton rules out answering President on acting Chancellor, acting Chief Justice appointments

Last Updated on Friday, 25 July 2025, 21:50 by Writer

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton on Friday said he would not be responding to President Irfaan Ali’s letter inviting meaningful consultations on the appointment of an Acting Chancellor and Acting Chief Justice to make way for the current Acting Chancellor Yonette Cummings to proceed on just over two months of accumulated leave.

He said while the appointment of those judicial officers to act requires meaningful consultations rather than agreement for substantive appointments, he did not believe that the President lacked the capacity to consult, much less meaningfully. “I thought it would be a waste of time and if I became involved in it, it will come over as if I allowed meaningful consultation when I know meaningful consultation wouldn’t occur and so I thought from pure strategic standpoint, I should not engage on it at this time,” he said.

Mr Norton accused the government of apparently unfairly opting to select a junior judge to act as Chief Justice whom he said was perceived as sympathetic to the incumbent party. “They recommended to me one of their junior judges who, the general view is, has links to the People’s Progressive Party and will not necessarily operate based on the rule of law but there are other judges who are senior to him, and no consideration was given to them,” he said.

Attorney General Anil Nandlall said earlier this week that the deadline for the Opposition Leader to respond to the President had already passed and he believed that Dr Ali would have to go ahead and make the appointments.

With acting Chief Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire set to act as Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice of Appeal Navindra Singh is tipped to perform the duties of Chief Justice.

Guyana has not had substantively appointed Chancellor and Chief Justice for almost 20 years, causing at least two past Presidents of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) to express concern. Top government officials are on record as having criticised decisions on political cases by the Guyana Court of Appeal which were overturned by the CCJ.