Hylton

Jamaica is to have a new Chief Justice in June and reliable sources say it will be 53-year-old Solicitor General, Michael Hylton, Q.C.

Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe will be retiring in June as he will be 70 on June 19.

According to sources, the government is now in the process of selecting a new Solicitor General from about five applicants.

Mr. Hylton, who was a partner in the law firm Myers Fletcher and Gordon, was appointed Solicitor General six years ago.

The post of chief justice is a political appointment but the Leader of the Opposition must be consulted.

Reliable sources say the consultation process has not yet been completed. Yesterday some senior lawyers described Mr. Hylton as a lawyer with great intellectual ability, coupled with administrative skills.

- B.G.