After having recently made the first new appointments to any of the constitutionally created Commissions since the implementation of the 2009 Constitution Order, His Excellency the Governor Duncan Taylor, CBE, is now considering candidates for an appointment to the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

Justice Richard Ground recently retired from his post as Chief Justice of Bermuda, a post he held for eight years and simultaneously tendered his resignation from the Cayman Islands Judicial and Legal Services Commission. His resignation was effective as of 28 March, 2012.

His Excellency the Governor, Duncan Taylor, CBE thanked Justice Ground for his dedication and commitment to the Commission during his tenure and wished him the best in his future endeavours.

Justice Ground’s appointment was made under Section 105 (1)(d) of the Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009 as one of “two persons appointed by the Governor who hold or have held high judicial office in a Commonwealth country or Ireland, but do not currently hold such office in the Cayman Islands”.

For more information on the Judicial and Legal Services Commission visit www.judicialandlegalservicescommission.ky or e-mail [email protected]

Below is an article that appeared in The Royal Gazette (www.royalgazette.com/article/20120323/ISLAND/703239999)

Outgoing Chief Justice produces calendar of his nature photography

Retiring Chief Justice Richard Ground has made what many might consider an unexpected contribution to Bermuda before his return to England.

He has donated a collection of his photographs to the Bermuda National Trust the images now grace the pages of the charity’s 2013 calendar.

Mr Ground, a keen wildlife photographer, was asked to photograph various Bermuda scenes and wildlife by Trust co-ordinator Patsy Phillips.

He spent the past year collecting shots from around the Island, that would be suitable for the Trust’s fundraising effort.

Mr Ground was introduced to photography by his wife, Dace.

The couple published a book of photographs featuring wildlife in the Cayman Islands in 1989 when Mr Ground was that country’s Attorney General.

They followed with a second book in 2001, ‘Birds of the Turks & Caicos Island’. On each occasion, proceeds from the book were donated to Cayman’s National Trust.

Mrs Phillips, a retired Trust president, started producing calendars for the charity as a fundraiser a few years ago.

“I choose someone who is a good photographer, the Chief Justice is a brilliant photographer,” she said.

“Actually, this is the second one he’s done for me. This calendar is more lightweight so that it can be mailed. Someone bought it and sent it to England and, Colin Coxall, [Bermuda’s former] Commissioner of Police, e-mailed me to say it is the best photography that he’d seen.

According to Mrs Phillips, it takes about a year to get the photographs for the Trust calendar together before the production process begins.

“The photographer would go out and take pictures through the year and we chose the pictures and put them in a temporary binder,” she explained.

“I then go and sell to different sponsors and they sponsor a page. After it was all put together the Chief Justice wrote about each picture so that it is an educational calendar. Judy McKirdy, a graphic artist, puts it together and it goes to the printers.”

Companies who have come on board as sponsors to make the calendar a reality include BAC, BCM McAlpine, Bermuda Waterworld Ltd, D&J, Aberfeldy Nurseries, Dunkley’s, Bermuda Pest Control, Lindo’s, Pembroke Paint Company, SAL, Gorham’s and Capital G.

Among the wildlife pictures featured in the calendar are a male bluebird prospecting a nest-box, a Gulf Fritillary butterfly and a longtail nest containing a mother and chick. The latter image was taken in a nest-burrow in the cliffs at Spittal Pond, the National Trust’s flagship nature reserve.

The calendar is now on sale for $10 in Trustworthy gift shops and other outlets across the Island, with the proceeds benefiting the Trust’s many programmes.

Mr Ground has also contributed the photographs to the Garden Club’s book ‘Bermuda, A Gardener’s Guide’ (2002) and ‘Birds of Bermuda’ (2002). He first came to Bermuda in 1992 as a judge before leaving in 1998 to become Chief Justice of the Turks and Caicos Island. He returned to Bermuda in 2004 to take up the post of Chief Justice. He is retiring at the end of this month and will move to Derbyshire, England.