President, Opposition Leader discuss appointment of Ombudsman; Justice Winston Patterson sworn in

President David Granger, this morning (Wednesday, May 17, 2017), as mandated by the Constitution of Guyana, met with the Leader of the Opposition, Bharrat Jagdeo at State House, to discuss the appointment of the new Ombudsman.

According to Article 191 (1) of the Constitution, “The Ombudsman shall be appointed by the President acting after consultation with the Minority Leader.”

Subsequently, Justice Winston Patterson was sworn in as the new Ombudsman. Engaging the media, Justice Patterson noted that he will endeavour to do his best. He expressed confidence that with the help of the administrative staff, he will be able to efficiently carry out his functions.

Retired Justice Winston Moore, who served as the last Ombudsman, died in September 2016, rendering the position vacant. Moore was appointed to the position in January 2014.

The ombudsman’s office is an independent body providing free services, in investigating complaints by members of the public who feel that they have been unfairly treated by public bodies.