Remarks by the Hon. Attorney General at special sitting of the Supreme Court on swearing in of Hon. Chief Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards
Speech by the Hon. Attorney General on the administration of oaths of the Chief Justice designate of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon. Mrs. Justice Yonette Cummings Edwards
Protocol and acknowledgements:
My Lady President of the Court of Appeal Mrs. Justice Yorke Soo-Hon and My Lady Justice of Appeal Indra Charles, may it please the Court, I rise to address the Court on the occasion of the appointment of our new Chief Justice Hon. Mrs. Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards.
My Lady President, My Lady, with your indulgence, I respectfully acknowledge the Honourable Chief Justice Lobban Cummings-Edwards who is sitting with you on this special occasion. I also acknowledge the Honourable Judges of the Supreme Court, Hon. Mr. Justice Gruchot, Hon. Mr. Justice Selochan, Hon. Mr. Justice Bakre, His Honour the Chief Magistrate, Her Honours Resident Magistrates and Her Honour the Coroner, the Registrar and Court staff.
My Lady President, please permit me to recognize the presence of the various members of the government administration present here today. Her Excellency the Governor Dileeni Daniel Selvaratnam, the Honourable Speaker of the Parliament Gordon Burton, the Honourable Acting Premier Jamell Robinson, HE Deputy Governor, the Honourable Members of Cabinet and the Honourable members of Parliament, whose collective presence underscore, among other things, the continuing commitment of the other branches of government to the administration of Justice.
My Lady please permit me also to recognize the presence of –
Members of the Judicial Service Commission Hon. Mr. Justice Adderley MB (Ret), Hon. Mr. Justice Simons KC (Ret.),
The Learned Director of Public Prosecutions,
The President of the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Bar Council,
The Doyen of the Bar,
King’s Counsel,
distinguished colleagues at the Public and Private bars,
President of the Labour Tribunal,
Commissioner of Police,
Bishop Stone,
Specially invited guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, both present and those following these proceedings online.
My Lady President, I rise to welcome the appointment of our new Chief Justice the Honourable Yonette Cummings-Edwards who comes to our shores with extensive judicial experience, a strong commitment to the rule of law, and to strengthening the Turks and Caicos Islands’ Judiciary.
My Lady, President this appointment continues the very high standards set by our esteemed Judicial Service Commission for judicial appointments in these islands. With over 37 years of experience, including senior leadership roles in Guyana’s judiciary, such as Acting Chancellor and former Chief Justice, her track record in judicial modernization, including digitization of court systems, improved case management, and expanded access to justice, particularly for remote and underserved communities.
Her contributions to specialized courts, restorative justice approaches, and judicial training, highlights her dedication to judicial independence, integrity, and efficient administration of justice. Hon. Mrs. Justice Cummings-Edwards’ appointment following what has been described as a rigorous and competitive process, reflects her exceptional qualifications and leadership capabilities, enhancing public confidence in the judicial system.
My Lady, the presence of senior government officials at today’s special sitting demonstrates their support for the judiciary and signal their continuing commitment to the administration of justice.
The appointment of our new Chief Justice is both an historic moment for female leadership in the TCI judiciary, being the third female appointed as Chief Justice in succession simultaneously continuing a trend of women holding the top judicial post for more than a decade, and marking a continuation of efforts to maintain high standards of legal service, uphold the rule of law, and ensure the effective functioning of the courts.
Given her wealth of experience, I am sure that Her Ladyship’s leadership will be instrumental in further strengthening the administration of justice and supporting institutional capacity building across the islands as she leads the judiciary, reinforces legal integrity, and advances reforms beneficial to the judicial and legal system and the wider community in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Noting the public commitment made by Hon. Justice Cummings-Edwards to “working collaboratively with [her] judicial colleagues, the legal profession and justice-sector partners to build on the strong foundation established and to further strengthen the delivery of justice in a manner that is fair, efficient and accessible to all, it is my privilege, on behalf of the Law Officers and all stakeholders, to affirm our respect for the rule of law and pledge our full support to the new Chief Justice and the Judiciary in the discharge of your constitutional responsibility to administer justice in these islands.
May it so please you My Lady.
Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles OBE KC, Hon. Attorney General