Official swearing service for new Chief Justice Larry Mussenden

It is a huge honour today to be sworn in as the Chief Justice of Bermuda. I extend my thanks to Her Excellency the Governor for the appointment.

The role of a judicial officer is an extremely important one in a democratic society when citizens of the country are committed to the rule of law and resolving their disputes before the Courts.

Thus, I pledge to be an advocate for the Bench to enable us to be equipped with the tools and resources to allow us to serve the people of Bermuda effectively. I also pledge to be an advocate for the Registrar and the Court Staff as they work towards delivering excellent court services to court users. I also pledge to work with Her Excellency the Governor and others to ensure that the independence of the judiciary is
maintained and developed.

The future of the Judiciary promises to be an exciting time when the opportunities will arise with valuable financial support from the Government, for renovated court facilities, for the implementation of an electronic case management system to place us at the forefront of court services and developing a strategic plan that takes into account the capabilities and the well-being of our Bench and the supporting
staff.

At this time I would like to express my thanks to people who have supported me along my life and career. It is a pleasure to express my thanks to my families on my mother’s side, my father’s side as well as the Brangman’s Home family. I am very appreciative of all their loving support over the years which has been endless and unconditional.

I extend my thanks to the families and friends of Alexander Rd and Mary Victoria Road in Prospect, where a community came together in the 1970s in affordable housing to make a wonderful neighborhood. We spent countless hours before the advent of mobile phones and devices, playing football, cricket, making
and flying kites, spinning tops, playing marbles, riding bikes, picking loquats and oranges and generally growing up through our teenage years.

Education has always been key for me and I thank my teachers and fellow classmates of Prospect Primary School, Warwick Academy and the Bermuda College. I express my thanks to the Bermuda Police Service, the Bermuda Regiment and the Bermuda Football Association, which provided me with endless hours of employment, enjoyment and community service that allowed me to meet people from all walks of life in Bermuda and from around the world.

I extend my thanks to my law colleagues as we have together developed our careers. Along the way I have had the pleasure of working with fine lawyers in the various divisions of the law when we have debated, argued, disagreed and fought each other in cases.

I am honoured to serve with the members of the bench of the Magistrates Court and the Supreme Court. I extend a special thanks to Justice Subair Williams, a near and dear friend from the first time we met and to her husband Jevon and their two children. Justice Subair Williams and I have worked together in Government, in a law firm, in our own firm and now on the bench. We have been each other’s biggest champions and it is truly an honour to be on the Bench with her. Merci Beaucoup.

I thank my friends who have been on most or some of my journey of the last few decades. They have given me tremendous support as I have worked long hours, made time, didn’t make time, travelled, visited each others’ homes, obtained plants and fruits from the various neighborhoods of Bermuda and just
generally enjoyed life.

Based on my career, I encourage all our young people to develop their careers and to work towards taking on leadership roles so that they can own their own businesses, lead government Departments, be politicians, be the Premier, the DPP, the Attorney General, a judge or even be the Governor. It is all possible with hard work and determination. For the last two years I have been studying Swahili, 2 classes a week by my tutor Rael in Nairobi over zoom. She and local Kenyans have brought me immense joy in learning Swahili. Folk will tell you that I
have stopped and spoken to so many Africans on Hamilton streets, shouting out jambo or habari yako much to the surprise of everyone.

Nina heshima kuteuliwa kuwa jaji mkuu na nitajitahidi niwezavyo kuwa tumikia watu wa Bermuda. Nawa shukuru nyote kwa support yenu kwa miaka mingi. Asanteni sana.
For those of you who do not yet speak Kiswahili, I think I said “I am honoured to be appointed as the chief justice and I will do my best to serve the people of Bermuda. I thank all of you for all your support for me over the years. Thank you very much.”

Once again, it is an honour to have been appointed Chief Justice and I thank the people of Bermuda for all their support and respect that they give to the Courts of Bermuda.

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