Larry Mussenden was sworn in as the Chief Justice of Bermuda yesterday.

Mr Justice Mussenden, whose career spanning close to 30 years has included working with youth groups, encouraged the next generation to strive to become leaders.

Speaking to a small audience of officials and dignitaries including David Burt, the Premier, and Rena Lalgie, the Governor, as well as distinguished members of the legal fraternity, he said: “Based on my career, I encourage all of our young people to develop their careers and to work towards taking on leadership roles so that they can run their own businesses, lead government departments, be politicians, be the Premier, be the Director of Public Prosecutions, be the Attorney-General, a judge or even the Governor.

“It is all possible with hard work and dedication.”

Mr Justice Mussenden’s legal experience includes serving as Crown Counsel, Director of Public Prosecutions, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, and most recently as a puisne judge.

He said that he would work diligently to ensure that Bermuda retains its standing as a legal jurisdiction of the highest order.

“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 efficiently,” Mr Justice Mussenden said.

“I also pledge to be an advocate for the registrar and court staff as they work towards delivering excellent 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 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 the strategic plan that takes into account the capabilities and the wellbeing of our bench and supporting staff.”

Asked whether his positions in the past within the Progressive Labour Party could compromise his independence, Mr Justice Mussenden said that those roles, including as senator, Attorney-General, Minister of Justice and Government Senate Leader, ended 20 years ago.

“I have gone on to do other things,” he said. “One of those things was to be the Director of Public Prosecutions. That in itself is an independent role in terms of decision-making. By that time, I had been out of politics for a decade and now it is more than five years down the road.

“In Bermuda, I think that the independence of the judiciary has been respected throughout the ages.”

Mr Justice Mussenden revealed that he had been learning Swahili in his spare time from a tutor in Nairobi via Zoom and had greeted Africans he met on the streets of Hamilton.

He welcomed the guests at his swearing-in ceremony in a few languages including “jambo”, a Swahili greeting.

He delivered part of his speech in the African language to say: “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.“

Mr Justice Mussenden thanked his family for their “endless and unconditional” love and support.

“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 Home family,” he said.

“I extend my thanks to the families and friends of Alexandra Road and Mary Victoria Road in Prospect, where a community came together in the 1970s in affordable housing to make a wonderful neighbourhood.

“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.”

He said that education had always been “key” for him, and he thanked his teachers and classmates at Prospect Primary School, Warwick Academy and Bermuda College.

He also thanked the Bermuda Police Service, the Royal Bermuda Regiment and Bermuda Football Association for “endless hours of employment, enjoyment and community service”.

Mr Justice Mussenden thanked his law colleagues and the friends he had made throughout his life.

He said: “I am honoured to serve with members of the bench of the Magistrates’ Court and the Supreme Court. I extend a special thanks to Justice [Shade] Subair Williams, a near and dear friend from the first time we met.”

He said that they had worked together in government, a law firm, their own law firm and on the bench, adding: “We have been each other’s biggest champions and it is truly an honour to be on the bench with her”.

He thanked Mrs Justice Subair Williams, who is fluent in French, with a “merci beaucoup”.

He concluded his speech, saying: “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.”