Justice Desiree Bernard and Geoffrey Bell QC have been appointed as new Justices to the Court of Appeal.

Making the announcement this afternoon, Governor George Fergusson said: “I am delighted to see two such distinguished lawyers join the Court of Appeal. Bermuda is fortunate in being able to attract such high level jurists to maintain the quality of its courts, providing a level of service at the highest possible level both for the people of Bermuda and international business.

“Justice Bernard will bring her extensive experience in the Caribbean courts as well as becoming the second female Justice to be appointed to Bermuda’s Court of Appeal.

“In Geoffrey Bell, the Court will be gaining someone with long experience of the law in Bermuda, a former President of the Bar Association and a former judge of the Supreme Court.”

Justice Bernard served as the first female Judge in the High Court of Guyana in 1980, and later as the country’s first female Chief Justice. She has also served as a Justice of the Caribbean Court of Justice since it’s establishment in 2005.

Mr Bell meanwhile came to Bermuda from the UK in 1971, subsequently working with the firm of Appleby, Spurling and Kempe. He served as President of the Bar Association between 1981 and 1984 and was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court in 2005.