Georgetown: Kamal Ramkarran was unanimously re-elected, unopposed, as President of the Bar Association on Thursday when the Guyana Bar Association held its Annual General Meeting at Court one of the Victoria Law Courts, Georgetown.
Robin Stoby, S.C. and Teni Housty were also unanimously re-elected unopposed to their positions of Vice-President.
Similarly, the association disclosed in a statement, Pauline Chase was re-elected as Secretary and Devindra Kissoon as Treasurer.
Keoma Griffith was elected as the new Assistant Secretary of the association.
Jamela Ali, Timothy Jonas, Sanjeev Datadin, Arudranauth Gossai, Sonia Parag and Alanna Lall were elected to the remaining six seats on the council.
Meanwhile, the GBA also passed a motion to support the confirmation of acting Chancellor of the Judiciary Yonette Cummings-Edwards and acting Chief Justice (CJ) Roxane George-Wiltshire SC.
There is mounting pressure for the administration to confirm a Chancellor of the Judiciary but the administration has already nominated Justice Kenneth Benjamin for that critical post. Under the current laws, the Government must consult with the Opposition Leader for the appointments. Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, signaled his rejection of Benjamin and Cummings-Edwards who was nominated.
In early February, Jagdeo wrote the President on the appointments of the Chancellor and Chief Justice.
He referred to the previous consultative meeting held on January 3, 2018.
“…I have duly considered the two nominees for whom you seek my agreement for appointment as Chancellor of the Judiciary and Chief Justice, respectively, in accordance with Article 127 (1) of the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. As promised, I have done the requisite due diligence. It is with deep regret that I inform you that I am unable to offer my agreement to the appointment of Mr. Justice Kenneth Andrew Charles Benjamin, as Chancellor of the Judiciary and Madam Justice Yonette Decina Cummings-Edwards O.R., as Chief Justice.”
Jagdeo noted that he remains cognizant of the fundamental importance of securing substantive appointments to these two high constitutional offices.
“As a result, I am committed to continuous engagement with your Excellency until there is due compliance with Article 127 (1) of the Constitution.”
The Government and the Opposition have been at odds over the appointments of persons to a number of key positions.
The Chancellor is the head of the judiciary.
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