Judicial Appointment Dispute Deepens Between President Ali and Opposition Leader Norton
By Tiana Cole for HGP Nightly News
A new standoff is brewing between President Irfaan Ali and Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton over the temporary appointment of an Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, as the country’s top judicial positions remain substantively unfilled for over 15 years.
Attorney General Anil Nandlall disclosed that the President wrote to Norton on July 11, 2025, informing him that the current Chancellor, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, had requested leave from July 8 to October 7, 2025, and that the President was considering appointing Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George-Wiltshire to act in her stead.
“One hand cannot clap,” Nandlall said, referencing the constitutional requirement for consultation with the opposition leader on such appointments. “There must be a response and meaningful engagement.”
However, Nandlall stated that no response was received from Norton by the July 18 deadline and emphasized that the President may now move forward unilaterally to maintain stability within the judiciary.
“In my respectful view, the President, having not received any response from the Leader of the Opposition, can proceed to appoint as he desires,” Nandlall asserted.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, in a separate interview on GlobeSpan, confirmed receipt of the letter, but accused the President of bypassing genuine consultation, claiming the administration is seeking control over judicial appointments.
“What he’s seeking to do is control the process and shift away from agreement with the opposition,” Norton argued. “But elections are coming. I think we’ll return to government, and those things we can change.”
Guyana has not had a substantive Chancellor of the Judiciary since 2005. Since 2017, Justices Yonette Cummings-Edwards and Roxane George-Wiltshire have served in acting capacities as Chancellor and Chief Justice, respectively, pending an agreement between the President and the Opposition Leader. This constitutional requirement continues to elude fulfillment.
This latest episode underscores the ongoing deadlock over judicial leadership in Guyana and raises questions about the state of constitutional governance as the country approaches general elections.
