–President Ali says as seventh appellate judge takes oath

PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has praised Guyana’s appellate court as the “vigilant conscience” of the nation’s legal system, as he presided over the swearing-in of Justice Damone Younge as a Justice of Appeal on Tuesday.
Speaking at the Office of the President during the formal ceremony, which brought together senior members of the judiciary, Dr Ali reflected on the central role of the Court of Appeal within Guyana’s legal architecture.
“It is the system’s steady hand, its corrective voice and his enduring memory. It is there within the appellate court that the law should speak with greater clarity. It is there where legal errors are examined without fear. It is there where legal principles are shaped with deliberation and care,” he said, adding: “It is there that the law is refined, harmonised and given authoritative expression for generations to come.”
Against this backdrop, Dr Ali said Justice Younge’s appointment “attests to the confidence reposed in her intellect, integrity and judicial temperament,” and affirms the “enduring vitality” of Guyana’s legal institutions.
THE APPELLATE COURT’S PIVOTAL ROLE
President Ali further emphasised that the appellate system is not merely administrative, but a framework of authority underpinning the legal order. Lower courts, he said, are guided and bound by the pronouncements of higher courts, ensuring an ordered and disciplined system of adjudication.
At the apex, the court provides authoritative interpretations that unify the law and anchor the entire system, reinforcing coherence and consistency across judicial decisions.
He said: “This structure forces respect for judicial decisions, not through coercion, but through reasoned authority…it assures the public that the law is not fragmented or contradictory, but coherent and principled justice.”
Turning directly to the new appellate judge, President Ali underscored the weight of responsibility that accompanies her elevation, stressing that the role demands not only legal acumen, but also wisdom, restraint and a profound sense of responsibility.
He reminded her that her words, as an appellate judge, will “carry weight beyond the cases before you”, shaping the contours of the law and influencing the lives of countless citizens.
By joining the appellate bench, she becomes part of a lineage of jurists who have contributed to the development and preservation of justice in Guyanese society.
In May of 2025, the Judicial Service Commission recommended to the President, the appointment of seven judges to the appellate court. On May 24 of that year, five of those judges took the oath of office and later in December the sixth judge was sworn in.
Justices Jo Ann Barlow, Navindra Singh, Priya Sewnarine-Beharry, Nareshwhar Harnanan, Dr Joycelin Kyte-Thomas and Mr Rafiq Khan, SC, were sworn in back in 2025.