Dear Editor,
I have seen some reports and comments in the press concerning a possible good offices intercession of the President of the Caribbean Court of Justice in the matter of high judicial appointments in Guyana.
Please let me say up front that I know nothing about this matter and am not getting involved in it in any way. I just wish to write about the great integrity and goodwill of the President of the CCJ, Mr Justice Winston Anderson.
I came to know now President Anderson in 2019 when the CCJ Academy conferred on me the award of ‘Eminent Caribbean International Jurist’. Then Justice Anderson approached me to do a write-up of my international experiences. I sent him a concise note, not wanting to go into too much detail.
The generosity of spirit of now President Anderson was such that he personally researched and wrote up a most generous presentation of my international engagements for which I received many plaudits when it was read out at the award ceremony. The late Sir Shridath Ramphal, next to whom I sat at the award ceremony, whispered in my ears when the tribute was read out: “Bertie, you have served Guyana, the Caribbean, and the World. “ This was because of the fulsome presentation of now President Anderson, written in his own hand.
Since the award ceremony in 2019 I have kept in touch with now President Anderson on Caribbean and international legal developments and he has been unfailingly courteous and cooperative in his responses to me. He is a person of goodwill and service.
I have no doubt that Justice Anderson will be a great President of the CCJ. He has just started his term and probably wished to use his good offices for the good of Guyana.
I would respectfully and humbly urge my compatriots to bear this in mind, to help contain any controversy, and to show their support for President Anderson at the commencement of his Presidency.
I write this with respect and courtesy for everyone concerned.