The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) today criticized the Guyana Times over a report it carried on the recommendation of persons to be appointed as Puisne Judges.
A release from the JSC follows:
The Judicial Service Commission has noted with grave concern an article published in the Guyana Times newspaper on 25th April, 2024 and which bore the caption “Chief Magistrate among 10 recommended as Puisne Judges.”
The Judicial Service Commission readily acknowledges that newspapers are in the business of disseminating news. It is however, with the information conveyed to Guyana Times, by a “reliable source” that the Judicial Service Commission experiences its disquiet and disgust.
The Guyana Times by its candid disclosure that the information in the published article was based on what was provided to it by “a reliable source” indisputably conveyed to its readers, the unofficial nature of the information it received from this “reliable” source. The Commission has interviewed a number of persons seeking to be appointed as judges of the High Court with consequential deliberations thereon. A number of processes are to follow, including a referral of the eventual recommendations of the Commission to His Excellency, the President. The Commission has not given any official press release in connection with its present role on judicial appointments to any media house, considering that it would be precipitate to do so.
This marks the second occasion that the present Commission is faced with the unofficial and unauthorized divulgence of information relating to its work, such a circumstance being hitherto unknown. The Judicial Service Commission is left in no doubt that Guyana Times’ “reliable source” lacks an ethical disposition and has treated the Commission with grave disrespect and contempt. The Commission therefore seizes on the moment to condemn in the harshest way possible, the role of the Guyana Times’ “reliable source” and to urge caution by Guyana Times and other entities similarly inclined. The Commission also urges that only official releases from the Commission should be published.
The Judicial Service Commission wishes to assure all media sources that it remains open to queries and to provide responses on its constitutional functions.
