Hon. Chief Justic Janice M. Pereira
As the Hon. Justice Pereira progresses from acting, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has its first female Chief Justice.
In a letter to His Excellency the Governor Adrian Davis, the Honourable Justice Janice Mesadis Pereira stated that on Tuesday, 16 October, she received notification from the Crown Office of the Ministry of Justice in England about confirmation of her appointment to be Chief Justice for the ECSC.
The notice included a copy of the Letters Patent signed by Her Majesty the Queen on 28 September 2012, appointing Pereira to be Chief Justice. The notice of appointment was published in the London Gazette on 4 October 2012.
Chief Justice Pereira was born on Virgin Gorda in the British Virgin Islands, succeeds Nevisian-born Sir Hugh Rawlins. She obtained her law degree with honours from the University of the West Indies in 1979 and the Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School in 1981.
Mrs. Pereira was called to the Bar in the British Virgin Islands in 1981 and the Bar in St. Kitts and Nevis in 2000. Between 1981 and 1984 Mrs. Pereira served as Acting Registrar General; Acting Registrar of the Supreme Court and Registrar of Companies, BVI between 1981 and 1984. She served as Additional Magistrate and acted as Magistrate, BVI between 1981 and 1985.
She was an Associate Attorney at Law, J.S. Archibald and Company, Tortola between 1985 and 1989; Associate Attorney, Harney Westwood & Riegels, Tortola, BVI in 1989 and Attorney at Law (Civil Litigation, Commercial and Banking), McW Todman & Co (1991 to 2003).
She 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, BVI.
Her Ladyship served as a High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court from 2003 to 2008 and Court of Appeal from 2009 to 2012 and Acting Chief Justice from 1 August, 2012.
She also served s a high court judge in Montserrat for several years. Reprsenting the Montserrat’s bar, Attorney at Law Jean Kelsick says Justice Pereira brought patience and a willingness to listen to the bench. “…she showed herself to be a sound, independent and temperate judge, who was quite willing to find against government when this was warranted. A welcome quality that she brought to the bench was patience and her willingness to listen,” Kelsick said.
The Bar representative also congratulated the new Chief Justice and her place in history. “She demonstrated those qualities that justified a her recent appointment as chief justice – the Montserrat bar congratulates her not only on her well deserved appointment but also in making history by being the first woman to be appointed as chief justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court,” he concluded.
