And from the low courts - to the new High Court - and its new leader, Chief Justice Louise Esther Blenman. The Guyanese jurist will be replacing Acting Chief Justice, Michelle Arana.
The Leader of the Opposition has already been consulted - and now all that's left is for the formality of the Prime Minister to advise Governor General Froyla Tzalam on the appointment. So, Blenman is expected to take the seat shortly.
Justice Blenman is an experienced judge who has has served in a variety of senior legal and judicial positions in St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, and Anguilla. She currently sits as a Justice of Appeal of the Easter Caribbean Court that serves nine states and territories and has sat as a high court judge for 9 years and a Justice of Appeal for 10.
Former CJ Kenneth Benjamin - also a Guyanese - left office in March of 2020, and Justice Arana has been acting in that role for two years.
And with the Senior Courts Bill, which will see the restructuring of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal to both fall under the 'High Court,' the new CJ will sit on both. Back in May the Attorney General, Magali Marin Young, explained what would be the requirements for the new CJ following this bill:
Magali Marin-Young, Attorney General
"That position has been advertised and the person to be selected as our new chief justice has to be of a stature to command the respect and have the experience of a court of appeal judge as well as a high court judge. So the role is recast-ed and the person to be appointed would be somebody of this stature that has experience of both courts because that person will be administering both courts. Currently under the supreme court of judicature act the chief justice administers the high court or the supreme court and the president administers the court of appeal."
This new Senior Court structure is the subject of the 12th Constitutional amendment which is now open for 90 days of public consultation. But there will be no consultations in the form of public events - so if you want to give your opinion on it - you are urged to review the draft legislation online and put your views in writing to the Constitution and Foreign Affairs Committee.
You can find a link to it at 7newssbelize.com.
