Ret’d Justice William Ramlall sworn in as Police Complaints Authority Chairman

Sep 13, 2018 News

Justice William Ramlall (left) takes the oath of office to serve in the capacity of Police Complaints Authority Chairman before President David Granger (seated).

Justice William Ramlall (Ret’d) was yesterday sworn in as the new Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority.

He will serve for three years.

This appointment accords with Section 3 (1) of the Police Complaints Authority Act, Cap. 17:02, the Ministry of the Presidency said.

Justice Ramlall, a retired judge of the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature of Guyana, specialises in criminal and civil law, particularly in the areas of analysis and assessment of evidence, the writing of judgements and the interpretation of statutes, among other skills.

He also served as a magistrate for several years; a State Counsel in the Attorney General’s Chambers; a teacher of Commercial Law and led a successful private practice. The retired judge attended the University of Guyana, where he read for the Bachelor of Laws Part One before proceeding to the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, where he completed Parts Two and Three. He is also the holder of a Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School and was a part of several professional training programmes.

The Police Complaints Authority Act, Section 3(1), provides that the Authority “shall consist of one person to be appointed by the President from among persons who have been, who are or who are qualified to be, a Puisne judge of the High Court.”

President Granger had written to Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo to inform him of the appointment.

Mr. Ramlall’s appointment came months after former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Cecil Kennard retired from the position.

The PCA was established by the Police Complaints Authority Act in 1989, under former President Hugh Desmond Hoyte’s administration to be an independent, investigative institution, which would receive complaints from members of the public about alleged criminal offences committed by members of the Guyana Police Force.