Home News Caricom Day: CCJ will continue to provide accessible, fair justice – Justice...
Marking five decades since the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the Caribbean Court of Justice has reassured that it will continue to provide accessible and fair justice to people of the Region.
President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Justice Adrian Saunders issued a statement on Monday, where he extended congratulations to the Caricom Secretariat and Member States.
“The Court notes with appreciation the undeniable progress the Community has made in achieving its goals over the last five decades and we look forward to playing our own part in consolidating those achievements as the Court pursues its mission to provide accessible, fair and efficient justice for the people and states of the Caribbean Community,” he penned.
According to Justice Saunders, it is a mark of distinction to be recognised as the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world.
“Our forebears demonstrated great vision when forming this Community, and for this, we pay them tribute. The CCJ regards itself as a prime example of Caribbean ingenuity. The institutional arrangements developed to fund the Court and to select and appoint Judges have been praised the world over for their uniqueness…On behalf of the Judges and the staff of the Court, I extend congratulations again to the Caricom Secretariat and all Caricom citizens. May we all continue to strive to attain the ideals envisioned within the Treaty.”
The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was inaugurated in Port of Spain in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in April 2005. It presently has a Bench of seven Judges presided over by CCJ President.
The CCJ has an Original and an Appellate Jurisdiction and is effectively, two courts in one. In its Original Jurisdiction, it is an international court with exclusive jurisdiction to interpret and apply the rules set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) and to decide disputes arising under it. The RTC established the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME).
In its Original Jurisdiction, the CCJ is critical to the CSME and all 12 Member States which belong to the CSME (including their citizens, businesses, and Governments) can access the Court’s Original Jurisdiction to protect their rights under the RTC.
In its Appellate Jurisdiction, the CCJ is the final court of appeal for criminal and civil matters for those countries in the Caribbean that alter their national Constitutions to enable the CCJ to perform that role. At present, five states access the Court in its Appellate Jurisdiction, these being Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana and Saint Lucia.
However, by signing and ratifying the Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Court of Justice, Member States of the Community have demonstrated a commitment to making the CCJ their final court of appeal.
A few weeks ago, the CCJ revealed that Caribbean states which have acceded to its appellate jurisdiction have seen the volume of cases being heard almost double on an annual count, thereby expanding access to justice for their citizens.(G12)
