Six new Puisne Judges were sworn in on Wednesday, bolstering the High Court bench even as Guyana continues to operate without substantively appointed holders of its two highest judicial offices—a situation that has persisted for nearly two decades and continues to raise concerns about judicial independence.

The judges—Sueanna Lovell, Mandisa Breedy, Christel Lambert-Meertins, Renita Camille Singh, Sunil Scarce and Azeena Baksh—were appointed by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and took the oath of office before President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali at the Office of the President.

Lovell previously served as Registrar of the Supreme Court, Breedy is an attorney-at-law, Lambert-Meertins and Singh both served as Commissioners of Title, Scarce is a former Senior Magistrate, and Baksh previously held the office of Registrar of Deeds.