Politics
CARICOM member states urged to embrace the Caribbean Court of Justice
The President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Sir Dennis Byron, today said regional countries should “complete their independence and sovereignty by claiming the rights to completely manage our judicial affairs”.
Addressing regional journalists at “an engagement meeting” here, Sir Dennis said he supports the views of the Trinidad and Tobago calypsonian, “Singing Sandra” who during the just concluded Carnival celebrations in her homeland, urged Port of Spain to become a full signatory to the court as the oil rich twin island republic celebrates 50 years of political independence.
The Caribbean Court of Justice, established in 2001, to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final court of appeal, has both an original and appellate jurisdiction.
But while most of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are signatories to the original jurisdiction, only Barbados, Guyana and Belize have signed on to the appellate jurisdiction of the CCJ that also functions as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration movement.