Lawyer Victoria Pearman has been appointed the next Ombudsman, replacing Ms Arlene Brock whose term of office finishes at the of this month.

Ms Pearman said yesterday that she was humbled by the appointment, and fully committed to the task at hand.

“Bermuda is a thriving democracy and the role of the Ombudsman is to perform a critical part in ensuring that democracy is successful,” she said.

“My predecessor, Ms Brock, Bermuda’s first Ombudsman, has set a high standard at home and is respected internationally. She is to be thanked for doing so.

“I am committed to performing the task with fairness mindful of the need for public confidence in the office and in public administration. I am humbled to be appointed and I am proud to serve my country in this role.”

Ms Pearman, a London School of Economics graduate, has acted as a lawyer for more than 20 years. She has also served as both a senator and Junior Education Minister and taught at Bermuda College, instructing students on the Kent Law Programme.

Making the announcement, Governor George Fergusson said: “I am delighted that Ms Pearman has accepted this role.

“The Ombudsman is a fundamentally important part of ensuring good governance, giving the individual a fair means of resolving problems which may crop up in dealing with the public service — and where necessary holding systems to account.

“Ms Pearman has a distinguished record of advocacy, mentoring and independence. She is highly qualified for the job’s challenges and responsibilities.

“Ms Brock has been a remarkable and impressive Ombudsman, for which I am extremely grateful. Not only has she established the role in Bermuda and achieved widespread respect for the office here but she has earned high regard among the wider Ombudsman community in the Commonwealth and beyond, gaining respect for Bermuda as well.”

It is understood that as a result of her new appointment, Ms Pearman will be stepping away from Juris Law Chambers, the firm which she herself launched in 1998 with Elizabeth Christopher and Archibald Warner.