JUSTICE (ret’d) Cecil Kennard passed away at the age of 86 on Saturday, at approximately 02:00hrs, at his suburban New Haven, Bel Air home while surrounded by his family.

Speaking with the Sunday Chronicle, Justice Kennard’s son, Gary, explained that his father had been hospitalised following a period of illness, and had started to recover, but a few days ago, his health started to decline once again.

“He was in hospital for about 11 days, and we had brought him out of hospital just two weeks ago. Up to a couple of days ago, he was communicating and eating very well, but then, on Wednesday, things just took a bad turn, and he didn’t recover from that,” Gary explained.

He and his mother, Chan, were at home at the time of Justice Kennard’s passing, Gary said. Describing his father as “a diehard Guyanese to the core”, Gary noted that he particularly remembers his father’s love of sports, and all the contributions he made in the world of sports and law.

“My dad was very patriotic; he was a loyal, staunch Guyanese, a sports enthusiast, and someone who basically loved his country dearly. He bled the Golden Arrowhead; he never wanted to leave. And he tried to serve the best way he could,” Gary shared.

Aside from his exemplary career in law, Justice Kennard was just as well-known for his involvement in sports, particularly horse racing, for which he was the Honorary President of the Kennard Memorial Turf Club.
“He was a sports enthusiast, and cricket and horse racing were his passions. He loved the practise of law; that was also his passion. One of his greatest pride was being appointed Chancellor of the Judiciary in 1999, and just serving his country,” Gary said.

CONDOLENCES POURING IN
Condolences for Justice Kennard poured in on Saturday, and included messages from the government, President Dr. Irfaan Ali, Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, and Attorney-General Anil Nandlall, SC.
President Ali described Justice Kennard’s contributions to Guyana as “nothing short of extraordinary”.

“His relentless and unwavering work in the Judiciary and improved governance of our country has created a better Guyana for all of us. On behalf of the Government and People of Guyana, I express my condolences to his family, and assure you of my prayers and thoughts,” the President said in his message, while Vice-President Jagdeo said: “It is with much sadness that I learned of the passing of former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Cecil Kennard. I wish to express condolences to his relatives and friends, and those whose lives he made an impact on during his years as a member of the legal fraternity, and as an avid supporter of horseracing.”

Minister Nandlall, in a Facebook post, detailed the life and work of Justice Kennard, noting that he’s “left his indelible print on the fabric of Guyana, and the Caribbean’s criminal jurisprudence”.

As he went on to say: “His hunger to render public service was another of his many phenomenal characteristics. Only a few weeks ago, he and I spoke about his interest to serve in a particular legal office.”

BAR CALL
Justice Kennard’s legal career spans several decades. It began in 1962 after he graduated from the prestigious Lincoln’s Inn in London, and was called to the local bar that same year.
In 1965, he was appointed Crown Counsel in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and after Guyana gained its Independence in 1966, he continued in that office as State Counsel.

Justice Kennard also served as a Legal Adviser to the Guyana Police Force (GPF) from 1971 to 1973, during which period he also acted as a rent assessment magistrate on a part time basis.

After spending a number of years in Antigua, prosecuting a number of high-profile cases in there, Justice Kennard returned to Guyana in 1977, and was appointed a High Court Judge. In June 1985, he was appointed a Justice of Appeal, followed ten years later, in January 1995 to be precise, by his appointment as Chief Justice.

In 1996, he was awarded the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH) for distinguished service in the area of law. It was also in that year that he was appointed Chancellor of the Judiciary. Justice Kennard also served as Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority until 2017.

STELLAR CAREER
During his stellar career, Justice Kennard would have prosecuted some of the most high-profile cases both in Guyana and Antigua, Minister Nandlall noted.

“As a judge, he presided over thousands of cases, in particular criminal cases, some being the most famous criminal cases of that era. The Guyana Law Reports, the West Indian Law Reports and the Commonwealth Law Reports have recorded some of the landmark judgments he would have written and rendered during his long and illustrious career,” he said.

The government also extended sincere condolences to Justice Kennard’s family and friends, and thanked them for sharing a distinguished husband, father and friend with Guyana.

“Justice Kennard served this country with distinction and humility since 1962, first as a private practitioner in the Ancient County of Berbice. Ever since, he gave over 50 years of service to Guyana in a number of capacities.

The passing of such an exemplary son of the soil also creates a void in the sporting fraternity in Guyana, more specifically the Horse Racing and Cricket administrations,” the government said in its message.