Appeal Court, High Court Judges sworn in

Mr Rishi Persaud was sworn in as a Justice of Appeal. He was elevated to the position after serving for many years as a High Court Judge.

The new High Court judges are SandilKissoon, Damon Younge, Simone Morris-Ramlall and Gino Persaud.

An attorney for many years, Gino Persaud, at age 38, has become the country’s youngest judge. He began practice in 2001 and served in many other capacities, including as President of Transparency Institute of Guyana and a prosecuting attorney with the Guyana Revenue Authority. He read for a Masters in Public Law from the University of Bristol on a British Chevening Scholarship.

Forty-four-year old Sandil Kissoon, has been an attorney for 18 years. After graduating with honours from the University of the West Indies he pursued the Certificate in Legal Education and was known to pursue civil and criminal matters.

Simone Morris-Ramlall has been in practice since 2000 and is a former President of the Guyana Association of Women Lawyers. She also lectured law at the University of Guyana and Managing Attorney of the Guyana Legal Aid Clinic.

Up to her recent appointment, attorney Younge served for many years at the Attorney General’s Chambers, including as Public Trustee and Official Receiver.

President David Granger, during the swearing ceremony at State House today, called on the judiciary to continue to exemplify the standards of excellence for which local judicial officers have become respected around the world. He said that the judiciary must remain unbiased, unblemished and unbribable in keeping with Article 122A (1) of the Constitution.

He noted that while the Government is committed to filling vacancies within the judicial system, it expects that all recommendations for appointments will be based on merit. “We do not dictate, who should be appointed. However, we expect these recommendations will emerge from a dispassionate and objective process,” he said.