Former Belize Chief Magistrate Patricia Arana Appointed Resident Magistrate in TCI

Belize’s former Chief Magistrate, Patricia Arana, has been appointed Resident Magistrate on the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).  Arana, who was the island’s Registrar at the Magistrate’s Court, was sworn in on Monday and will be based in the capital, Cockburn Town.  Arana first joined the judiciary of TCI in April 2022.  Before migrating to TCI, Arana was Belize’s Supreme Court Deputy Registrar General.  Her career in the judiciary began in 2010 as a magistrate and was later promoted to Senior Magistrate.  Her time in Belize saw her working as the legal counsel for the Financial Intelligence Unit.  The last two years in TCI have seen Arana appointed to serve in various capacities, including the ADR Administrator, member of the Mediation Committee, member of the Breach Process Rules Committee, Justice of the Peace Vetting Panel, Justice of the Peace Disciplinary Panel, and Election Adjudicator.  Regionally, Arana serves as an Executive Member of the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO).  She is also an active member of the Caribbean Association of Women Judges (CAWJ), and the National Garifuna Council (NGC) Orange Walk Branch.  Arana is a graduate of the University of the West Indies with a Bachelor’s degree in law, and a graduate of the Norman Manley Law School, Jamaica, where she obtained her Legal Education Certificate.