CCJ President commends Chancellor, CJ for commitment to Guyana’s Judiciary

Oct 07, 2021 News

Kaieteur News – President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Justice Adrian Saunders, on Tuesday, during the launch of the second edition of the Code of Ethics for Judicial Officers, commended the Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag), Yonette Cummings-Edwards, and Chief Justice (Ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire, for their commitment and what they have been doing for Guyana’s Judiciary.

CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders.

Eighteen years after the first Code of Ethics was launched for Judicial Officers in Guyana, the second edition was on Tuesday launched at the Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown.
Justice Saunders was among other Regional Judicial Officers who made a virtual appearance at the event. The CCJ President gave the keynote address during which he praised the Chancellor and CJ for their dedication to Guyana’s Judiciary and also expounded on the Code of Ethics.
In his address, Justice Saunders said, “It’s obvious to me that the Judiciary in Guyana is committed to pursuing judicial excellence and to being a responsive institution. The indications are evident and have been noticed by us at the Caribbean Court of Justice.”
He further noted, “I see them [Guyana’s Judiciary] in the efficient disposition of cases, the elimination of backlogs, the embrace and deployment of technological innovations, the premium placed on judicial training programmes, the employment of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, and one can go on and on.”
According to the CCJ President, like the country, Guyana’s Judiciary is on the move and there are signs for all to see. He added that the Chancellor and CJ’s leadership has been exemplary, and added that throughout the Region and beyond, onlookers can see the results for themselves.

Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards.

Justice Saunders further explained that the establishment of a Judicial Code of Ethics and the participatory manner, in which that code was developed, is yet another indication of the Chancellor and CJ’s impressive guidance.
The Code of Ethics contains principles and rules which all persons who administer justice are required to observe in their day-to-day relationship with the legal profession and the public. It also outlines the standard of ethical conduct of all judicial officers and in particular, key values by which a judicial officer is expected to live and work. They are propriety, independence, integrity, impartiality, equality, competence, and diligence.
Moreover, Justice Saunders stated that the increase in media pressure and public scrutiny further constraint judicial conduct both on and off the bench. To this end, he noted that the level of behaviour towards judicial officers is understandable because even in their private capacity, the conduct of a judge can have serious effects on the public’s perception of their impartiality.
“Public confidence in the administration of justice can only be achieved if we consistently conduct ourselves in an ethical manner both in our judicial and personal life,” the President of the CCJ noted.

Chief Justice (Ag), Roxane George-Wiltshire.

According to him, a Code is symbolic of the maturity and the willingness of the judiciary to commit to a set of principles which help judges and other judicial officers to supplement and give force to the Judicial Oath of Office. “The Code demonstrates the solemnity by which the Judicial Oath is regarded by those who hold judicial office,” Justice Saunders stated.
He further disclosed that the Code is actually a contract between the judiciary and society, and added that it sets out the standards of behaviour that judicial officers voluntarily establish for themselves and to which they invite the public to hold them accountable.
Justice Saunders then noted that the Code acts as a guide course for judicial officers because in his view, “Ethical infractions mostly occur through inadvertence or a lack of insufficient awareness or appreciation of the relevant ethical principle.”

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