Richard Ground was sworn in as Bermuda's latest Chief Justice at Government House yesterday.

Premier Alex Scott stood by silently as Mr. Ground was sworn in by Governor Sir John Vereker. Mr. Ground stressed that he would perform his duties "without fear or favour".

He later told The Royal Gazette that he had already made his recommendations to the committee reviewing Bermuda's justice system.

Mr. Ground arrived on the Island on Saturday evening and is staying at The Laurels, the former residence of former Premier Jennifer Smith.

"I'm delighted to be back, I feel at home," he said. Mr. Ground began his law career as a prosecutor in the Cayman Islands.

He has extensive commercial law experience, five years of which were gained here.

"It's a challenge. It's Chief Justice of Bermuda. Do you need an explanation?" he laughed when asked why he had been interested in the job.

In a well publicised row with Government House, Mr. Scott had opposed the appointment on the grounds that a qualified Bermudian was available for the job.

But yesterday he was clearly willing to let bygones be bygones.

"When we met him he was a little shorter than I had thought because I had expected him to be ten foot tall the way the Governor had talked about him," Mr. Scott said.

"But it is important that we not pursue the battles of the past and that we accept the responsibilities of the future.

Bermuda cannot be well served if the Premier pursues points of principle that he proudly established yesterday because right now and tomorrow requires that we be sure that Bermuda gets the attention to its justice system and that we have the co-operation between Government and the principals in the justice system in every way that we possibly can and to that I'm fully committed in supporting."

Mr. Ground, an Englishman, has spent a large chunk of his legal career working in British colonies.

After six years working in civil and commercial litigation in London he headed to the Caymans in 1983 to be a Crown Counsel.

After a year he became senior crown counsel and left three years later to become Attorney General in the Cayman Islands where he sat on the Executive Council and in the Legislative Assembly.

In 1992 he came to Bermuda as a Puisne judge where he dealt with much of the commercial work, including the preliminary stages of the historic BF&M and Thyssen cases, as well as some serious criminal cases.

After four years he headed to Turks and Caicos where he became Chief Justices.

According to his CV he reformed civil justice administration in the 25,000 population island with new rules.