The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has announced that Justice Winston Anderson of the CCJ has been selected as its next president, replacing outgoing president Justice Adrian Saunders, who will officially retire on July 3, 2025.
In a press release, the CCJ said that Justice Anderson, a citizen of Jamaica and Barbados, obtained his Bachelor of Laws in 1983 from the University of the West Indies (UWI), then proceeded on Commonwealth and Chevening scholarships to Cambridge University, England. He graduated in 1988 with a doctorate in Philosophy majoring in International and Environmental Law. That same year, he was called to the Bar of England and Wales, as a Barrister of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn; he was called to the Bar of Barbados in 1989. Justice Anderson rejoined UWI’s Faculty of Law as a lecturer in 1988 and remained until 2003. During his tenure, he served as Deputy Dean, Head of the Teaching Department of Law, and Senior Lecturer in Law.
On June 15 2010, Justice Anderson was sworn in as a judge of the CCJ and is very active in the fields of judicial education and judicial reform. He is currently Chairman of the CCJ Academy for Law, the release stated.
The decision to appoint Justice Anderson was made at the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of Caricom held in Barbados from February 19 -21, with the Heads accepting the recommendation submitted by the Regional and Judicial Legal Services Commission (RJLSC), the release said. Justice Anderson was selected after a competitive process in which applications were received from seven candidates – six men and one woman – from various Commonwealth states including Barbados, Botswana, Jamaica/Barbados, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka. The RJLSC is an independent body responsible for the hiring, disciplining, and setting of employment terms and conditions for court staff and judges. In terms of the president of the court, it submits a recommendation to the Heads of Government who then vote to select the president. A successful candidate must receive three-quarters majority vote, the release said.
Congratulating Justice Anderson, President Saunders was quoted as saying, “Justice Anderson’s wealth of experience, intellectual rigour, and dedication to the rule of law have significantly contributed to the development of the court’s jurisprudence. His leadership will undoubtedly strengthen the CCJ’s commitment to delivering justice of the highest standard and furthering its mission to serve the region with independence, fairness, and integrity.”
The CCJ release said it is anticipated that Justice Anderson will be sworn in as CCJ President on July 6, 2025 in Jamaica.
