Former Resident Judge in Anguilla, Justice Janice Pereira, has been appointed to act as Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and President of the Court of Appeal with effect from August 1, 2012.
According to information being circulated throughout the region, Her Ladyship will officially become Chief Justice Pereira once the Letters Patent are signed by Her Majesty the Queen. The top jurist who was born in Virgin Gorda, in the British Virgin Islands, succeeds Nevisian-born Sir Hugh Rawlins.
On Tuesday, August 14, Justice Pereira published the following message on the website of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court to all nine jurisdictions of the Court (includingAnguilla):
“As I take up the mantle of Acting Chief Justice for the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), I do so with great humility and pride; humility in the realisation that my singular efforts will be of no avail without the combined support of every judicial officer of the Court and the people of the Sub-region; but pride in the fact that the confidence has been placed in me to steer this illustrious Institution as it continues to facilitate equity in access of justice to the people of the OECS. I offer my enduring commitment to law, to justice and to serving the residents of the nine (9) Member States/Territories.
“As the Acting Chief Justice, I recognise that I will be building on the solid foundation of the many stalwarts who have preceded me. I wish to especially thank my immediate predecessor Chief Justice Sir Hugh Anthony Rawlins who retired from the Court on 31st July 2012, for the many lessons I have learnt through his leadership, which I have been privileged to view up; close, for the past four years. I regret that he was unable to remain longer. I thank him wholeheartedly for his guidance and friendship.
“I am exceedingly proud of our Court system; of the many strides that wed have made over the past forty five years. As wed continue into the future we remain true to our mission of serving the peoples of our ‘…Member States and Territories by providing access to a system of justice that is accountable and independent, and administered by officers in a prompt, fair, efficient and effective manner.’
“Be reminded that the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is the Court of the people, and as such we are accountable to you; so I invite you to take the time and avail yourselves of the various information resources that may be accessed on this site. Keep informed of our various initiatives and projects; views our decisions. We also welcome your suggestions and comments in a bid to enable this facility to be of optimum service to you our users.”
Justice Pereira graduated with a law degree with honours from the University of the West Indies in 1979, and the Legal Education Certificate from theNormanManleyLawSchoolin 1981.
She was called to the Bar in theBritish Virgin Islandsin 1981 and the St. Kitts-Nevis Bar in 2000.
Between 1981 and 1984 she served as Acting Registrar General and Acting Registrar of the Supreme Court and Registrar of Companies in the BVI. Between 1981 and 1985 she served as Additional Magistrate and Acted as Magistrate in the BVI.
She was an Associate Attorney at Law, J.S. Archibald and Company, Tortola, between 1985 and 1989; Associate Attorney, Harney Westwood & Riegels, Tortola, in 1989; and Attorney at Law (Civil Litigation, Commercial and Banking), McWTodman& Co (1991 to 2003).
Justice Pereira served as a law partner in Farara George-Creque&Kerrins and engaged in active practice at the Bar in the conduct of matters at all levels of the Courts from 1985 to 2003 in Tortola.
She was appointed as a High Court Judge in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court from 2003 to 2008 and the Court of Appeal from 2009 to 2012. It was during her appointment at the High Court that she served as Resident Judge in Anguilla.
