Noting that the president has to make the first move to resolve the decade-long failure to appoint a substantive Chancellor and Chief Justice, Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo is warning that he will not allow himself to be coerced into accepting nominees just to fix the situation.

“Now we have two persons who are acting in the position(s). As you would recognize, this is not a new situation. It’s not desirable but it’s how it has been for a long time in our history… just to have a substantive nominee. I am not going to promise now that any names that the president submits to me, that I will automatically give my approval for those names,” Jagdeo told Sunday Stabroek in a recent interview.

He added that he has spoken out about the need to have the two top judicial posts held by persons who have been confirmed “just to give them security of tenure, which would ensure they are less susceptible to political influence.”….