High Court Justice Gino Persaud is set to attend the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association (CMJA) Annual Conference in Kingston, Jamaica, where judicial officers from across the Commonwealth are examining issues affecting the administration of justice, judicial independence and the rule of law. Reports that his United States visa is “under review” have accompanied his travel arrangements, but Persaud remains expected to participate in the conference.
The conference runs from September 20–24, 2026, under the theme “Sustainable Justice: For Today, For Tomorrow, For All.” It brings together judges and magistrates from across the Commonwealth to examine issues affecting judicial independence, access to justice, accountability and the administration of justice. The CMJA says its objectives include strengthening understanding of judicial independence, increasing awareness of international law relating to access to justice, and facilitating professional exchange on judicial developments.
The conference agenda is broad and includes a keynote by Jamaica’s Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, a panel on data-driven justice and accountability, and another examining open justice versus privacy in the courts. Specialist sessions will address arbitral awards, military justice, the rights of children and parents, maritime and admiralty matters, and the role of lay magistrates.
Other sessions will focus on chronic underfunding of justice systems, judicial bullying and harassment, environmental justice, gender-based violence, vulnerable witnesses and difficult litigants. A major session on September 23 is titled “Current tensions between Judicial Independence and the Rule of Law,” followed by discussions on protecting judges from online and physical threats, judicial wellness and the writing of judgments.
The reported circumstances surrounding Persaud’s travel have added significance to his participation.
According to News Source Guyana, Persaud was prevented from boarding an American Airlines flight bound for Miami on September 19 after airline representatives reportedly told him that his name had been flagged and that his U.S. visa was under review. His planned journey to Jamaica was routed through Miami.
Persaud was reportedly advised to visit the American Embassy in Georgetown to address the matter.
News Source further reported that the judge was unaware of any problem with his U.S. visa, having travelled to the United States only a few months earlier without incident. He is likely to seek an explanation from the Embassy regarding the reported “visa review.”
The development has also prompted calls for the Guyanese judiciary to intervene.
Persaud has not publicly commented on the matter, while the U.S. Embassy generally does not comment on individual visa cases.
Visa review remains unexplained
The reported “visa review” should not automatically be interpreted as a revocation. Publicly available information does not establish that Persaud’s visa was cancelled or revoked, nor does it provide an official explanation for the review.
The matter has attracted additional attention because Persaud has recently presided over high-profile cases involving the Guyana Revenue Authority and members of the Mohamed family. However, there is presently no publicly established evidence connecting those judicial decisions to the reported U.S. visa review.
With the CMJA conference placing judicial independence, the rule of law, accountability and protection of judges prominently on its agenda, Persaud’s anticipated participation comes against a backdrop of unanswered questions about his U.S. travel status.
The immediate outstanding issue is whether the American Embassy will provide Persaud with an explanation of the reported review and whether the Guyanese Judiciary will make representations on his behalf.
