By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

SIR Brian Moree was sworn in yesterday as a justice of the Court of Appeal.

The brief ceremony came the day after Ian Winder was sworn as the country’s new Chief Justice replacing Sir Brian.

While giving remarks yesterday, Sir Brian said he is deeply committed to the view that there is great honour in public service.

He said: “I think one person put it this way and I quote the roots of happiness grow deepest in the soil of service and that’s always been something, which has been very important to me particularly as I’ve gotten older.

“I’m at that point in my life where I know the truth of that statement and so I’m very humbled and grateful to have the opportunity to continue in my public service through my appointment to the Court of Appeal.

“I must say that for the vast majority of litigants in this country the Court of Appeal is effectively the final court even though it’s subject to the Privy Council and that is because, so few cases go to the Privy Council. So, it imposes a very onerous duty on the appellant judges to discharge justice and to develop the jurisprudence of our country.

“And I look forward to being a part of that, Mr president. I look forward to working with you and your team. I fortunately know all of my colleagues very well and it is a new chapter in my life and I look forward to accepting that challenge.”

He went on to leave some words with the attendees at the ceremony on the importance of service.

The former Chief Justice explained: “So, I would just leave you with the thought that is deep in my soul at this moment and that is this: for those of us who through the grace of God has achieved a measure of success I think it’s important, its incumbent upon us to give something back to the country and that is what has been driving me certainly in my latter years.

“I think that we have a duty to contribute to the development and advancement of our people and in my particular case it happens to be in the area of the administration of justice. And so, I look forward in some small way to continuing my efforts to make a contribution with regard to the development of our jurisprudence.”

Sir Brian was appointed Chief Justice on June 12, 2019. He is also currently the Chairman of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission.