Justice Bryan Sykes was yesterday sworn in by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen as the eighth chief justice of independent Jamaica, in a ceremony at King’s House.

Sykes was also bestowed with the nation’s fourth highest honour, the Order of Jamaica (OJ).

“I wish to thank God and our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for elevating me, by way of the decisions of men, to this position of trust and leadership. To be the head of a country’s judiciary is an awesome responsibility. It is not one that I take lightly,” said Justice Sykes in response to his appointment.

Sykes said that despite a number of administrative setbacks, including a recent reduction in the judiciary’s budget, judges and court staff have made progress in clearing case backlogs with the implementation of initiatives such as civil procedure rules, sentence reduction days, a fast-track Gun Court, among other activities.

“It needs to be highlighted that in this year’s budget, there has been a reduction, overall of $32 billion, so we are now operating with less this year than last year,” the chief justice said.

However, in the same breath, Sykes pointed out that the Government had supported the judiciary by providing four additional judges for the Supreme Court, more judges for the Court of Appeal, 22 judicial clerks, and 10 parish judges during the current budget cycle.

He also said that some aspects of the court system’s operation needed to be reviewed and replaced with more modern methods to schedule cases more efficiently, increasing the likelihood of a matter continuing rather than being adjourned.

Sykes’s official appointment comes after being sworn in as acting chief justice on February 1, which resulted in an outcry from members of the legal fraternity, who argued that Prime Minister Andrew Holness was mistaken when he recommended to the governor general that Sykes act in the post, rather than confirm him, since there was a vacancy.

Holness had suggested that Justice Sykes’s full appointment as chief justice would have been dependent on his performance. However, Sykes’s colleagues pointed out that the head of the judiciary does not report to the prime minister.

During his address at yesterday’s swearing-in ceremony, Holness said it was not his intention to “undermine the independence of the judicial branch, or even to trespass anywhere near the discretion of the judges”.

“We are interested in a partnership to ensure the efficiency and accountability that the judiciary [offers] to the people,” said the prime minister, who also added that he was confident that under Sykes’s leadership there will be a transformation of Jamaica’s justice system.

Holness said that the Government noted carefully the discourse surrounding Justice Sykes’s appointment and that there has been no question of his “extraordinary legal insight, clarity, and erudition”.

Meanwhile, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn congratulated Justice Sykes on what she called an “excellent” appointment.

“I’ve known Chief Justice Sykes for over 30 years and his integrity is unquestionable. He is decisive, strong and very statistical,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“I know that all of us in the system will have to now pull up our socks, because he sets high standards and he maintains them,” Llewellyn added.

President of the Senate Tom Tavares-Finson also expressed confidence in Justice Sykes, saying that his appointment is an “inspiring decision”.

Tavares-Finson added that Sykes’s hard work, dedication and his intention to use modern technologies and managerial skills to address problems with the efficiency of the court system made him suitable for the position.

The governor general, in his remarks, also welcomed Chief Justice Sykes to his new role as leader of the judicial branch of Government.

“Your appointment today speaks to the confidence in your ability to faithfully and effectively discharge your mandate to the Office of Chief Justice. I do believe that those who have ears to hear and minds to reflect are fully assured that you will perform your duties in a way that brings credit to your Administration and satisfaction to the society at large,” he said.