By Javone Vickerie | HGP Nightly News|
LILIENDAAL, GREATER GEORGETOWN — Reaffirming the state’s absolute commitment to constitutional governance, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips declared on Wednesday that the executive branch plays zero role in appointing judicial officers or influencing the administration of the court system.
The Prime Minister issued the definitive statement during a formal swearing-in ceremony held in the Lula Room of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) in Liliendaal, where he administered the Oath of Office to six newly appointed magistrates and five commissioners of title. Phillips made it clear that selection and promotional oversight fall strictly under the independent purview of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), and any executive meddling would violate the separation of powers.
“We do not control the judiciary. We do not determine whom they appoint, and we do not determine how they function,” Prime Minister Phillips told the gathered members of the legal fraternity and state officials. “The judiciary must remain functionally independent. It is a fundamental constitutional concept which we completely embrace.”
Modern Judicial Expansion & Roster: July 2026
The newly sworn-in officers represent the largest localized expansion of the lower courts since independence, aimed at eliminating persistent case backlogs across the coastland:
- Newly Appointed Magistrates: Ocelisa Marks, Nikkisha Logan, Jimelle Joseph, Shareefah Parks, Taneisha Saygon, and Caressa Henry.
- Newly Appointed Commissioners of Title: Deputy Registrar Alicia Lowenfield, Magistrates Annette Singh, Alisha George, Shivani Lalaram, and Attorney-at-law Utieka John.
- The Executive Mandate: The Prime Minister emphasized that the government’s role is strictly limited to fully resourcing the courts through sustainable budget allocations, technological rollouts, and physical courthouse construction.
- Technological Modernization: Highlighting the shift toward digital workflows, Phillips noted that litigation is now almost wholly electronic within the High Court, Court of Appeal, and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ CONSTITUTIONAL SEPARATION │
└───────────────────┬────────────────────┘
│
┌─────────────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
┌─────────────────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│ THE EXECUTIVE │ │ THE JUDICIARY │
├─────────────────────────────────┤ ├─────────────────────────────────┤
│ - Financial Appropriations │ │ - Autonomous Court Operations │
│ - Infrastructural Upgrades │ ◄─── [ NO INTERFERENCE ] ───┤ - Case Adjudication & Rulings │
│ - Technological Endowments │ │ - Bench Staffing via the JSC │
└─────────────────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────────────────┘
“An efficient, fast, and highly reliable court system does not just impact public confidence; it is directly tied to our economic development,” Prime Minister Phillips expressed. “Investors, both local and international, are severely influenced by the stability and fairness of this crucial arm of government. The safety of their commercial investments lies entirely with a competent, independent, and impartial judiciary.”
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by high-ranking legal figures, including Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) Roxane George, Attorney General Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, Chief Justice (ag) Navindra Singh, and Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman. Urging the eleven new judicial officers to discharge their daily duties with absolute neutrality, objectivity, and speed, the Prime Minister noted that the government’s unprecedented capital investments into new district courthouses between 2020 and 2026 ensure that the wheels of justice now have the physical space to turn efficiently in every administrative region.
