At swearing-in…
ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW Mr. Leslie Sobers and Ms. Leron Daly took the oath of office, as Temporary Magistrates, before Prime Minter Samuel Hinds on Wednesday.
The appointments, for a probationary period until they are confirmed, are seen as a much needed boost for the Magistracy, to help fill the vacancies created by upward movement and resignations.
Present at the swearing-in at the Prime Minister’s Wight’s Lane, Kingston, Georgetown office, were Acting Chief Justice Ian Chang, Acting Chief Magistrate Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, immediate relatives of the two sworn, as well as their colleagues.
Prime Minister Hinds, expressing appreciation, on behalf of the Government, for their acceptance of the posts, urged sobers and Daly to commit themselves to the task at hand.
Noting that the position will, at times, be very challenging for them, he, nevertheless, called on the new appointees to remember to uphold the statutes of the oath they took, regardless of the challenges.
Mr. Hinds reminded them that a time may come when the litigants appearing before them might be mother, father, sister, brother or very close friend and admonished them to be unbiased in their decisions.
Justice Chang, in his congratulatory remarks, alluded to the saying that Lady Justice is blind but said it merely means blind to the parties before her and not the law. As such, he advised the new magistrates to dispense justice without regard to who is before them.
The judge said the magistrates should always focus on the evidence presented and seek to further acquaint themselves with all pieces of legislation which relate to the work of the Magistracy, like the Summary Judiciary Procedures Evidence Act and substantive laws.
Noting that the discretion of a magistrate resides, essentially, in penalty, the Acting Chief Justice reiterated the importance of paying attention to the submissions and not the personality of counsel, as what is important is the submission.
Touching on the controversial issue of bail, he pointed out that, while magistrates have the power to refuse the grant, it should not be the end of any matter, as there is a further obligation to have the case expedited.

FOCUS

The Acting Chief Magistrate echoed the advice of the Acting Chief Justice and encouraged the new magistrates to focus in dealing with matters before them, so as to be impartial in their judgements, allowing God and one’s conscience to guide.
In an invited comment, Magistrate Sobers, a serving Reserve Officer of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and who has had some success in his defence of GDF officers and ordinary ranks at Courts-Martial, said he is confident that the experience gained in those cases would serve him well in his new status.
Having suffered a temporary setback in his practice after an automobile accident that caused him to undergo corrective hip surgery in India, he was loud in praise of the Almighty, for granting him a new lease on life.
Acting Chief Magistrate Sewnarine-Beharry told the Guyana Chronicle she is grateful to have two additions to the Magistracy, making four in recent times.
The two newest magistrates will, soon, be assigned to different courts, she said.