Dominica on track to joining CCJ – PM Roosevelt Skerrit

Dominica says it has written to the United Kingdom government informing it officially of its intention to cut ties with the London-based Privy Council in favor of the Trinidad & Tobago-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

“We have in fact written to the Foreign secretary if the British government indicating the Dominica government’s decision to end our relationship with the Privy Council and to establish our relationship with the Caribbean Court of Justice in the appellate jurisdiction,” Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit told reporters.

The CCJ was established in 2001 as the region’s highest court replacing the Privy Council. It has both an original and appellate jurisdiction, but while many Caribbean countries are signatories to the original jurisdiction, only Barbados, Guyana and Belize have signed on to the appellate jurisdiction.

In addition, the CCJ serves as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) grouping.

Skerrit said that the island-nation’s High Commissioner in London had already held talks with the Privy Council “seeking to work out the administrative matters with respect to their final decision on their part. -(CMC)