New Magistrates, Commissioners of Title appointed

Prime Minister Mark Phillips on Wednesday administered the Oath of Office to five Commissioners of Title and six Magistrates appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

During the ceremony which took place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), the Prime Minister underscored the significance of the appointments, stating that the judiciary has never been better resourced than it has been since the PPP/C administration took office in 2020.

In fact, he underscored the importance of an independent judicial system to any democracy, reaffirming his government’s commitment to ensuring that Guyana’s judiciary remains fully resourced.

“The executive that I represent here today is largely responsible for providing those resources and there is no time in the history of independent Guyana that the Judiciary of Guyana has been more resourced than the period 2020 to 2026,” the PM remarked.

“In terms of physical infrastructure, more court houses have been built and have been rehabilitated from 2020 to now than in any other period during independent Guyana. In terms of system support, the executive has provided the financial resources for the judiciary to procure the most updated e-litigation system available in the Commonwealth,” he outlined.

With regards to human resources, he noted that the executive has worked with the judiciary over the years to ensure the appointments of key judicial officers.

“For example, in February 2024, nine Magistrates were appointed. In April 2024, three Commissioners of Title were appointed. In June 2024, ten puisne judges were appointed. In May 2025, seven Justices of Appeal were appointed. No one can seriously accuse the executive, that is the government that I represent here today, of not resourcing the judiciary in Guyana,” PM Phillips asserted.

He also emphasised that the government does not exercise control over the judiciary, emphasising the importance of judicial decisions being made strictly in accordance with the law.

“It is obvious that we do not control the judiciary, we do not determine whom we appoint, we do not determine how they function. The judiciary must remain functionally independent…all the executive asks on behalf of the people of Guyana, whom we are elected to represent, is that the judiciary functions independently, fairly and make decisions in accordance with the law. Investors, both local and international, are severely influenced by the state of this crucial arm of government. After all, the safety of their investments lies with a competent, independent and reliable judiciary,” the PM expressed.

The JSC on Tuesday announced the selection of five legal professionals for appointment as Commissioners of Title to serve in the Land Court. They are Alicia Lowenfield, Annette Singh, Alisha George, Utieka John, and Shivani Lalaram. They took their oaths of office before PM Phillips on Wednesday.

The JSC on Tuesday also announced the selection of five persons for appointment to the post of Magistrate. They are Ocelisa Marks, Nikkisha Logan, Jimelle Joseph, Shareefah Parks, Taneisha Saygon and Caressa Henry, who also took their oaths of office before PM Phillips on Wednesday.