Lawyer Ian Kawaley and Assistant Justice Charles Etta-Simmons are set to become permanent judges The Royal Gazette has learned.

The Governor's office is staying tight-lipped about who has got the posts. Deputy Governor Tim Gurney said all the applicants had been local.

He said: "We are looking at appointing two new Puisne judges. The Governor is considering the advice of the recruiting panel. We are hoping an announcement will be made in the fairly near future."

On Friday, Governor Sir John Vereker extended the tenures of Acting Justice Phillip Storr and Assistant Justices Ms Simmons and Archie Warner until April 30, suggesting the announcements will be made by then.

The appointments of Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle, who has been acting in Mr. Warner's stead, and Acting Supreme Court Registrar Charlene Scott, who has been acting in Ms Simmons' stead, were also extended to the end of the month.

Pressure has been mounting for full-time appointments to be made to to the bench.

A year ago, Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans criticised the delay in appointments, which she said was contributing to a 12-month backlog in cases.

More recently, lawyers called for a commercial court to deal with civil cases, and said the heavy workload for judges meant written judgments often took months to be delivered.