Guyanese Arif Bulkan to be sworn in as CCJ Judge on Thursday

Justice Arif Bulkan, a Guyanese, will be sworn in as a Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) on Thursday, October 16, 2025. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at the Office of the President, with President Dr Irfaan Ali, administering the oath.

Justice Bulkan has been appointed by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission, the independent body responsible for recruiting judges and staff for the CCJ.

A distinguished legal scholar and practitioner, Justice Bulkan holds a Bachelor of Laws from The University of the West Indies, a Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School, a Master of Laws from University College London, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Law from Osgoode Hall Law School, York University, Canada. Over his career, he has worked both regionally and internationally, serving in various capacities including litigator, academic, author, activist, judge, and international law expert.

Admitted to the Bar in Guyana in 1990, Justice Bulkan began his legal career at the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, rising to the rank of Assistant DPP. He practiced privately from 1997 to 2004 and served on the Court of Appeal of Guyana in 2018. Since May 2022, he has been a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Belize.

Justice Bulkan has also contributed to legal education and human rights. Between 2008 and 2022, he taught at the Faculty of Law of The University of the West Indies. He served as an expert member of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, including as Vice Chairperson from 2019 to 2022, and was elected in June 2023 to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, where he currently serves as Second Vice-President.

Meanwhile, from Tuesday, 14 October to Friday, 17 October 2025, Justice Winston Anderson, President of the CCJ, will visit Guyana for the swearing-in ceremony. During his visit, President Anderson will also pay courtesy calls on key national and regional figures, including President Irfaan Ali; Justice Roxane George, OR, Chancellor (Ag) of the Judiciary; Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, MP, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs; Dr Carla N. Barnett, OBE, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); and representatives of We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), APNU Parliamentary Group, and Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).