Carmona: Being a judge is a lonely job

“I have to warn you, it is going to be a lonely job because many times as it has happened to the Chief Justice, as it has happened to myself personally, we have had to go to functions and see certain persons there and you could turn right back and leave because justice itself, is based to a large extent on perception,” Carmona said.

“And, if you are seen talking to the wrong person, people perceive it in a particular way. But you are only human and you have to speak to any and everyone not knowing who they are sometimes.” Carmona spoke after formally installing Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar, Registrar Kevin Ramcharan and Acting Senior Magistrate Avason Quinlan-Williams as new Puisne Judges of the Supreme Court at President’s House, St Ann’s.

Saying he has followed closely, the careers of Ayers-Caesar, Quinlan-Williams and Ramcharan, in relation to clarity of vision, jurisprudential depth and objective adjudicative process, Carmona said the new appointees are well-suited to their new portfolios.

“So that what is happening here today, is something that should have happened a long time...looking for judges in the trenches of the Judiciary because in the trenches you have excellence,” he said. “I can tell you, I have seen that excellence at the Court of Appeal, defending your judgements over the years.” Carmona told the new judges that they had the ability to bring “real justice” in all forms and fashions through their volunteer work particularly with young people. “Because not only will you all be engaged in the actual adjudication of cases, but you all are people of heart,” he said.

“I know that you all have gone beyond the bench to engage change among our young people.

Many times persons are prepared voluntarily without payment, to go beyond that boundary to change lives.