Guyanese jurist Mr Justice Arif Bulkan has been chosen to hitch the Caribbean Courtroom of Justice (CCJ), filling the emptiness left by the elevation of Honourable Mr Justice Winston Anderson to the presidency of the Courtroom on 4 July 2025.
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The appointment was introduced by the Regional Judicial and Authorized Providers Fee (RJLSC), the unbiased physique answerable for recruiting judges and workers for the CCJ.
Justice Bulkan holds a Bachelor of Legal guidelines from the College of the West Indies, a Authorized Training Certificates from Hugh Wooding Legislation Faculty, a Grasp of Legal guidelines from College School London, and a PhD in Legislation from Osgoode Corridor Legislation Faculty, York College, Canada. Over his profession, he has served in a number of capacities, together with litigator, educational, writer, activist, decide, and worldwide legislation knowledgeable.
Admitted to the Bar in Guyana in 1990, Justice Bulkan labored on the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, rising to Assistant DPP, earlier than coming into non-public observe from 1997 to 2004. He sat on the Courtroom of Attraction of Guyana in 2018 and has served as a Decide of the Courtroom of Attraction of Belize since Might 2022.
In academia, Justice Bulkan taught on the School of Legislation of the College of the West Indies from 2008 to 2022 and has contributed extensively to human rights legislation. He has served as an knowledgeable member and Vice Chairperson of the United Nations Human Rights Committee (2019–2022) and is at present the Second Vice-President of the Inter-American Fee on Human Rights, the place he was elected for a four-year time period in June 2023.
Justice Bulkan is a extensively printed writer on indigenous rights, human rights, and constitutional legislation, together with The Survival of Indigenous Rights in Guyana (2012) and Fundamentals of Caribbean Constitutional Legislation (first version 2015, second version 2021). His work has earned him the Anthony Sabga Caribbean Award for Public and Civic Contributions and recognition as a PANCAP/CARICOM Champion for Change, each in 2017.
Commenting on the appointment, CCJ President and RJLSC Chairman Justice Winston Anderson emphasised that appointments are made solely on benefit, together with experience, integrity, and dedication to justice. Of the roughly 26 functions acquired from nations together with Australia, Barbados, Canada, Cameroon, Fiji, Guyana, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saint Lucia, Sri Lanka, the USA, and Trinidad and Tobago, 5 candidates had been shortlisted and interviewed earlier than Justice Bulkan was chosen.
Justice Bulkan is anticipated to be sworn in as a CCJ Decide in October 2025, changing into the third Guyanese nationwide to serve on the Courtroom.
