It must have come as a great surprise to many, if not most, to once again

learn of the Opposition Leader, Mr. David Grager, refusing to support  the government’s  plan to appoint substantively the Chief Justice,  Justice Ian Chang and the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Carl Singh.
These two positions, as is well known, have been the subject of disagreement between the PNC/R and even now that they are a part of the coalition,  APNU and the executive, for as long as can be remembered.
What more must these two gentlemen do so as to be confirmed in their respective positions?
For example, the Chief Justice has been a model of erudition and precise judgment, and has brought much scholarship to his legal arguments and decisions. He is also known to be one who writes his decisions in a very timely manner. The Chancellor has been a quiet and efficient manager of the scarce judicial personnel, in seeking to dispense with the matters that have been engaging his courts.
This objection by Granger is exceedingly strange for the many alien conditions that he has suggested should be  among the criteria for determination of final choices for the two top judicial positions. In fact, it would be a departure from the tradition of appointing the most senior judge to either position. For Granger, such must be replaced, by advertising both locally and Regionally for prospective candidates. This position must have certainly amazed  the nation’s judges.
This  means  that a foreign jurist is likely to be the head of the local judiciary, should such a procedure be followed. Such is unprecedented anywhere in the modern Caribbean Region. It would mean  questioning the competency of our local judges, who have been distinguishing themselves over the decades.
For a  person of  Granger’s academic standing, it is a great contradiction in terms of progressive thinking. He must be reminded, that such a recommendation for selection is reminiscent of the bygone days of colonial rule, when many of the leading positions within the local civil service were filled by expatriates. But, the judiciary, even in the years approaching independence was led by great Guyanese jurists. The eminent Sir Joseph Luckhoo and Sir Donald Jackson are just two of that illustrious category  who led our local judiciary at different times.
David Granger deserves the ire of  members of the local judiciary.