THE Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has decided to advertise for applicants to the posts of Registrar and Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court Registry as mandated by law. Commissioner Justice Prem Persaud told the Guyana Chronicle that members of the JSC met yesterday morning at the Court of Appeal, High Street, Kingston and decided to advertise for suitable applicants. “The position has to be advertised. We will advertise the position for Registrar and Deputy Registrar,” said Justice Persaud. He said that those applying for the posts of registrar and deputy registrar must be “experienced.”
“Those persons desirous of applying for the positions must be experienced…we are looking for very experienced persons. They have to be dedicated to the job,” Justice Persaud stated.
On Monday, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Basil Williams visited the Supreme Court Registry and chided the former administration for allowing the court to be run without a Registrar and deputy. “The registry seems to be headless …we don’t have a registrar. Mr. Mohamed’s contract just expired a day or so ago and there is no deputy registrar, no assistant registrar for the Supreme Court Registry and our new government must be concerned about this situation,” Williams told the media.
The JSC is the body empowered to appoint the Registrar and Deputy Registrar by virtue of the Constitution of Guyana. Those appointed are required to be attorneys-at-law with experience.
Justice Persaud said too that the persons applying for the post must demonstrate a love for the job. “It is a tremendous responsibility to keep the court running… it is not a regular eight to four job…One has to be dedicated to the job,” he said.
Rashid Mohamed, former Registrar (ag.) for the Supreme Court had acted in the position for the past three years,but his contract expired last week. Mohamed was responsible for managing the affairs of the Registry for those three years. The Registrar and the Deputy Registrar are deemed ex-officio sworn clerks by law. The High Court Act states that,” A person who is an attorney-at-law and who within a period of five years prior to his qualifying as such had at least one year’s experience as an assistant sworn clerk in the registry; or is an attorney-at-law of not less than one year’s standing, may be appointed a sworn clerk for such time as he may hold a public office in the registry.”
Based on the law, Mohamed was holding the post of Acting Registrar illegally, as he is not an attorney-at-law, neither does the law make provision for anyone else but the Registrar and Deputy Registrar to carry out the functions he did. He was appointed by contract. Minister Williams said he is unsure why the Supreme Court was allowed to run without a Registrar and Deputy Registrar, and moreover to have someone who does not have the requisite qualifications to hold the post.