HGP Nightly News – Guyana’s court system is facing a quiet but serious breakdown behind the scenes, after more than 100 judiciary employees left in 2025, many for private-sector jobs, government ministries, public agencies, and emigration, a level of attrition the Acting Chancellor says is now threatening how efficiently the courts can function.
The warning came from Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Roxane George-Wiltshire, during the opening of the Law Year 2026 on Tuesday, where she said the Supreme Court has been “haemorrhaging” staff and struggling to replace them because of uncompetitive pay and a split employment system that has weakened morale.
She said the exits are already being felt on the ground, feeding into administrative delays and backlogs at several points in the justice system, even as caseloads remain heavy and the courts attempt major institutional and digital reforms.
According to the Acting Chancellor, the judiciary is having “great difficulty” attracting qualified personnel needed to keep courts running smoothly. A major driver, she explained, is what she described as a bifurcated employment structure.
Some court workers are appointed through the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and benefit from higher salary scales, while others are hired through the Public Service Commission and the Ministry of Public Service on lower scales, a disparity she said has created friction, lowered morale, and helped push people out.
“This has caused a bifurcated system of employment with attendant challenges, especially regarding morale,” Justice George-Wiltshire said, signalling that the imbalance is now destabilising staffing across the courts. To tackle the problem, the judiciary is seeking government support for a significant overhaul that would place responsibility for the appointment of all court staff under the Judicial Service Commission.
Meanwhile, a comprehensive administrative human resources audit is underway, funded through a grant from Global Affairs Canada, aimed at assessing staffing levels, qualifications, operational needs, and pay across the court system. The Acting Chancellor said the audit is expected to produce a revised organisational structure, updated job classifications, and a new remuneration framework aligned with the judiciary’s Strategic Plan 2024–2031, which places strong emphasis on investment in human resources.
