The 2014 session of the Grand Court formally opened on Wednesday, 15 January 2014.

In a ceremony on the court steps and in front of fellow judges, magistrates, attorneys and court staff, the Chief Justice, Hon. Anthony Smellie, QC, received a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) guard-of- honour.

Clerk of the Court, Ms Tabitha Philander, and RCIPS Commissioner, Mr. David Baines, OBE, accompanied Chief Justice Smellie as he inspected the guard.

Following the inspection of the guard-of-honour, in a packed Court 1 Attorney General, Hon. Samuel Bulgin, QC, accepted the invitation of the Chief Justice to propose the opening of the court. Caymanian Bar Association President, Mr. Dale Crowley, and Cayman Islands Law Society President, Mr. Alasdair Robertson, seconded Mr Bulgin’s proposal. This was endorsed by Mr. Colin McKie Q.C.

Chief Justice Smellie then proceeded to address the court, providing a report on the courts’ activities in 2013 and plans for 2014.

Dignitaries attending the ceremony included Her Excellency the Governor, Mrs. Helen Kilpatrick, CB; Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, MBE, JP; Deputy Governor Hon. Franz Manderson, Cert. Hon., JP; and Cabinet Ministers.

(GIS)

Photo captions:

CJ Inspects: Chief Justice Hon. Anthony Smellie inspects the guard of honour formed by an RCIPS contingent headed by Inspector Lloyd Marriott.

CJ receives salute: Chief Justice, accompanied by fellow Grand Court Judges and the Clerk of Court, receives a salute from the RCIPS contingent that served as a guard of honour to him at the formal opening of the Grand Court this morning (Wednesday, 15 January 2014).

Governor Salute: Her Excellency the Governor, Mrs. Helen Kilpatrick, CB receives the royal salute, with RCIPS Commissioner Mr. David Baines, OBE, acknowledging the salute.

Justices Court Staff: Justices with Judicial Administration staff

Judges Attorneys: Grand Court Judges, attorneys and courts staff share a moment at the opening.

GC Judges: Grand Court Justices at the opening: l-r: Hon. Richard Williams, Hon. Sir Peter Cresswell, Hon. Charles Quin, Hon. Alexander Henderson, Chief Justice Hon. Anthony Smellie, Hon. Angus Foster and Hon. Andrew Jones.