As tears stained her face, a full congregation stood in thunderous applause drawing a weeklong celebration of The Right Honourable Dame Janice Pereira to a close. Overcome with emotions, the frequently smiling, but mostly stoic Dame, exposed her softer side at a church service held in her honour at Church of God (Holiness) North Sound, Virgin Gorda.
he service was the final event held by the Government of The Virgin Islands to celebrate the accomplishments of Janice Mesadis Pereira nee George: first woman to be accepted to the Virgin Islands bar (one of two), first female Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, first woman to be knighted and first Virgin Islander to be appointed to The Privy Council.
Pereira’s career spans over 40 years in Law. First denied a scholarship because of her young age, then District Representative the late Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal OBE, intervened compelling the government to grant her the right to study at the country’s expense. She studied in Cave Hill, Barbados at the University of the West Indies before attending the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica for her Legal Education Certificate and then returned to her country to pay her debt. The country reaped all that it sowed, benefiting from her holding several senior positions like Registrar of the Supreme Court, Registrar of Companies and the Admiralty Marshall, Magistrate, additional Magistrate and even Supervisor of Elections according to her biography published in Pioneering Caribbean Woman Jurists and written by Paul Anthony Webster.
Her dedication and drive led to success in her public and private practices eventually landing her a job as a Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 2003. She was subsequently elevated to act as a Judge of the Court of Appeal in October 2008 and confirmed January 2009. In 2012 upon the demitting of office by Chief Justice Hugh Rawlins, she was appointed to act as Chief
Justice before being unanimously confirmed to the role, becoming the first woman to occupy the bench at that level. Pereira served for 10 years and was credited with modernising the court system. Proclaimed a “techie”, by her younger sister Eunice, she implemented digitisation of files and records and faced COVID-19 head on by holding virtual court for the people of the Caribbean in need of justice.
She retired in 2023 and the Government of The Virgin Islands, by its Cabinet’s approval, paved the way for a national celebration in her honour headed by Attorney General Dawn J. Smith. Supported by a committee of civil servants, Smith marshalled six days of events ranging from breakfast with service organisations, a luncheon, a special sitting of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, a gala dinner, special lecture, a prime-time TV special, brunch with 150 young people and a church service. Each event boasted specially branded items like fans, books, bags, trendy tumblers, umbrellas and ear pods, all keepsakes of the well-received celebrations.
The last event was designed to end the week where Pereira got her start, in North Sound. The sleepy hillside community on Virgin Gorda’s north side holds special meaning for her as she was born there and got her educational start in small school houses where she rose to be Valedictorian of her primary school class. It was in North Sound that she got her introduction to Methodism and church, a religious practice that has lasted the test of time. Now 67 years old, she noted her favourite hymn as ‘How Great Thou Art’ in the commemorative magazine published in her honour for the
week of activities.
Size dictated that the service would be held at Church of God (Holiness) North Sound versus her beloved North Sound Methodist Church. Yet, the service was touching with tributes in song, prayers
of covering and presentation of gifts. Her first teacher preached the sermon on this elevated reverent day.
Throughout the service, Pereira appeared humbled by the expressions, but at the end, a final gift presented by the Attorney General brought her to tears. The gift was a framed presentation of each invitation and event flyer produced for the week. The gift seemed heavy but also bore the weight of the celebration which had taken four months to piece together. The gold frame contained the diligently approved events by both the Cabinet and the committee.
“I am immensely touched,” she managed to whisper, holding back a flood of tears.
From the church service her mind must now change to focus on her role as a judge at The Privy Council where she sat for the first time in December 2024.
The Right Honourable Dame Janice Pereira is a fine of example of what preparation amalgamated with practice and positioning can yield. Her accomplishments are now hallmarks of the feats attainable by residents of small island states. Ultimately, she’s a representation of what is possible when women like her get the chance to lead, challenge and change great institutions.