NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Governor General CA Smith recently made 10 new judicial appointments to address staffing shortages, the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (JLSC) announced yesterday.
Appointed as Supreme Court Justices were Juanita Denise Lewis Johnson, Jeanine Weech-Gomez, Andrew D Forbes, Neil Brathwaite and Camille Darville-Gomez.
All of the justices’ appointments will come into effect on May 31, except for Brathwaite’s and Darville-Gomez’s, which will come into effect on June 14 and August 3 respectively.
Appointed as Stipendiary & Circuit Magistrates were Algernon Allen Jr, Kendra Kelly, Shaka Serville, Ian Marie Darville Miller and Simone Brown, who has been assigned to the northern region.
All of the magistrates’ appointments will come into effect on June 14, except for Brown’s, which will come into effect on July 5.
In a statement announcing the appointments, the JLSC noted: “During the past several years, there has been a reduction in the number of justices of the Supreme Court caused, in part, by the retirement of two judges, the elevation of two other judges to the Court of Appeal and another judge who commenced her pre-retirement leave earlier this year.
“Meanwhile, the volume of the work of the Supreme Court has continued to increase during that period of time.
“In order to address this position, the Judicial and Legal Service Commission has resolved to advise his excellency the governor general to make the following appointments under article 94(2) of the Constitution.”
The statement added: “The magistracy has also been affected by recent developments, including the retirement of two magistrates in 2020 and the resignation of a magistrate in New Providence earlier this year.
“Also, the elevation of Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew D Forbes and Coroner/Magistrate Jeanine Weech-Gomez to the Supreme Court will further reduce the number of magistrates.
“This has created an urgent need to appoint new magistrates to deal with the large volume of work in the Magistrate’s Courts.
“Accordingly, the JLSC has also resolved to advise his excellency the governor general to make the following appointments under section 13 of the Magistrates Act.”
The new appointments will provide “much-needed additional resources to the judiciary in the discharge of its constitutional duties and functions”, the JLSC noted.
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