20 November 2019
I am very saddened to learn of the passing of Mr Justice Ian Chang CCH who acted as Chief Justice of the
Co-operative Republic of Guyana for many years. I have known Mr Justice Chang for almost 50 years as
we were both students together at the Law Faculty of the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill). Ian’s
passion for the law, for legal argument, for interrogating the most esoteric nuances of the law is legendary.
It was no surprise to me that he ultimately achieved high judicial office in his native Guyana. He has to his
name, several outstanding judgments that are indelibly recorded in the law reports. These judgments span
an impressive range of subject areas again demonstrating the breadth of his knowledge of the law and his
utter devotion to it. He has made an important contribution to the development of Guyanese and Caribbean
jurisprudence.
The judicial and legal profession in Guyana has lost a true champion of the law. Justice Chang will be sadly
missed. On behalf of the Caribbean Court of Justice, I extend condolences to his family and to the judiciary
of Guyana.
