Caricom Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque has welcomed the news that Dominica has taken further steps to formally recognise the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final court of appeal.
“This heralds a positive start to the year for the integration movement,” he said, according to a press statement from the Caricom Secretariat.
On Thursday Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announc-ed that the Government of the United Kingdom had no objection to his country de-linking from the Privy Council. The Dominican Govern-ment had written to the British Government last year requesting its ‘no objection’ to proceed with de-linking from the Privy Council which was a requirement under the Dominican Constitution. The prime minister said the action of the United Kingdom Government paved the way to take a Bill to parliament to finally join the CCJ’s appellate jurisdiction.
“It is my hope that Dominica will lead the way for those other Member States with similar constitutions,” LaRocque said. “I look forward to the early passage of the required legislation so that Dominica can join Barbados, Belize and Guyana in completing its circle of sovereignty.”
The CCJ, with headquarters in Trinidad and Tobago, was inaugurated in 2005 as a two tier court being the sole authority in its Original Jurisdiction in interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which governs the regional integration movement. It is also the final Court of Appeal for those countries which have given effect to the CCJ’s Appellate Jurisdiction.
