7 new judges for Court of Appeal

May 21, 2025 News

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow

Kaieteur News- Seven new judges have been nominated by the Judicial Service Commission to serve in the Court of Appeal.

The commission announced Tuesday that five of those judges will be sworn in today by President, Irfaan Ali.

The commission said history is being made in Guyana as this is the first time in the court’s history that so many judges will be appointed at one time to the Appeal Court.

According to the commission, because of the exigencies of the office and the need to address outstanding matters, the remaining two judges will take the oath of office at a later date.

Justice Priya Sewnarine- Beharry

Judges to be sworn in today are Justices Jo-Ann Barlow, Navindra Singh, Nareshwar Harnanan, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, and Joycelin Kyte-Thomas. Justices Damone Younge and Rafiq Khan, SC will be sworn in at another time.

Justice Singh has served as High Court judge for 12 years, having been appointed to the post in October 2012. He was admitted to practice before the courts in Guyana in October 2001. He served in private practice for some six years.

As a High Court judge, Justice Singh presided over a number of civil cases and high-profile criminal cases.

Justice Narendra Singh

Justice Harnanan was admitted to the Guyana Bar in October 2001. He then joined the Attorney General’s Chamber and Ministry of Legal Affairs as a state counsel. He served in the chamber for some 11 years. He held positions as senior legal advisor, principal legal advisor and deputy solicitor. He was appointed a judge of the High Court in October 2012.

Justice Sewnarine-Beharry joined the Attorney General’s Chamber and Ministry of Legal Affairs in 2001. She was called to the bar and was appointed State Counsel in the Attorney General’s Chamber. In 2005, she was appointed a magistrate and was subsequently promoted to senior magistrate in 2008, principal magistrate in 2010 and chief magistrate in 2011. In 2015, she was appointed puisne judge and has held that position for 10 years.

Justice Kyte-Thomas has over 23 years of legal experience as an attorney. She holds two Masters of Law Degrees and a doctorate in conflict resolution. She served in the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution, before she was appointed magistrate. She subsequently went into private practice and later served as solicitor general in the Attorney General’s Chambers.

Justice Joycelin Kyte-Thomas

Justice Jo-Ann Barlow was appointed High Court judge in June 2015. She was called to the bar in October 1996. She served in the chambers of the Director of Public Prosecution from 1996 to 2015.

At the opening of the Mabaruma Magistrate’s Court back in February, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips announced that Guyana’s laws would be further amended to increase the number of judges presiding over cases in the Court of Appeal.

He said the “law was being changed and was changed to increase the compliment of Appeal Court judges from five to nine, and will soon again be changed to move that from nine to 11…Also we have appointed three Land Court judges.”

Justice Nareshwar Harnanan

The Prime Minister had underscored that amidst the recognition of development, the government remained ready to continue providing adequate resources to the judiciary, while at the same time recognise and respect it is as an independent institution. “We cannot direct, and we will never attempt to direct, how the judiciary operates. All we ask is that our judicial officers discharge their function efficiently, fairly and in accordance with our law. Our citizens deserve that much, and in fact, are entitled by law for such treatment.”

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