Belizean Appointed a Resident Magistrate in Grant Turk 

Belizean Patricia Arana, former Registrar of the Magistrate’s Court of the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), has been appointed as the new Resident Magistrate in Grand Turk, the nation’s capital. This is being reported by Turks and Caicos Weekly News

Arana was officially sworn in on Monday and has since commenced her duties in the new role. Arana initially joined the Judiciary of the Turks and Caicos Islands as Registrar of the Magistrate’s Court in April 2022. Before that, she served as the Deputy Registrar General at the Supreme Court of Belize. 

Arana began her judicial career as a Magistrate in 2010 and was promoted to Senior Magistrate in 2015. As Senior Magistrate, she worked in several districts in Belize and acted as Chief Magistrate on multiple occasions. Additionally, she was seconded for two years as Legal Counsel to the Financial Intelligence Unit of Belize.

Arana is an alumna of the University of the West Indies, where she earned a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) Degree, and the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica, where she obtained her Legal Education Certificate. Notably, she was awarded the H.H. Dunn Memorial Prize for Legal Drafting and Interpretation at the Norman Manley Law School.

Regionally, Arana serves as an Executive Member of the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO) on behalf of the Judiciary of the Turks and Caicos Islands. She is also an active member of the Caribbean Association of Women Judges (CAWJ) and the National Garifuna Council (NGC) Orange Walk Branch.