WESTERN BUREAU:

Two of Jamaica's leading personalities in the judiciary will be honoured by the Cornwall Bar Association at the Luana Country Club in St. Elizabeth on Saturday.

They are Chief Justice Zaila McCalla and President of the Court of Appeal, Seymour Panton. The two will be recognised for their ascendancy to the two highest offices in the island's justice system, as well as their recent investiture with the Order of Jamaica, the country's fourth highest honour.

Long and faithful service

"Justices Panton and McCalla were selected as this year's honourees because of their long and faithful service to the legal profession in Jamaica," said Clayton Morgan, president of the Cornwall Bar Association. "The ascendancy of these two distinguished individuals from western Jamaica to the pinnacle of the judiciary, along with the fact that they were recently awarded with the Order of Jamaica, caused us to take notice."

In July of this year, Justice McCalla rewrote the history books by becoming the first woman appointed Chief Justice of Jamaica.

For his part, Justice Seymour Panton, who made history when he became the youngest Supreme Court Judge at the age of 35, is also a product of the county of Cornwall.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding will give the keynote address at the function.