Consultations on the establishment of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), and arrangements for the inauguration of the Court, which is scheduled for the latter half of 2003, is expected to commence soon. This was a mandate coming out of the Fourteenth Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which concluded in Trinidad and Tobago last weekend.
The mandate followed a report from the President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) Dr. Compton Bourne, that Board approval had been secured for the institution to raise the US $100 M required to capitalize the Trust Fund for the CCJ. The CARICOM Legal Affairs Committee will now be expected to convene by the first week of March to complete work on The Agreement Establishing the Trust Fund.
The Conference, the highest decision-making body of CARICOM as part of its two-day deliberations approved the establishment of a High-Level Task Force to commence planning for the inauguration of the Court and mandated the Preparatory Committee and CARICOM’s Secretary-General to continue working along with the Lead Prime Minister with Responsibility for Justice and Governance, Dr. The Hon. Kenny Anthony of Saint Lucia, in further elaborating the initial proposals presented to the Heads of Government.
The Task Force will be chaired by the CCJ Project Co-ordinator, Mr. Sheldon McDonald and will include representatives of the Host Member State, Trinidad and Tobago, the Secretariat, as well as one other appointee to be named by Dr. Anthony.
The Legal Services Commission, which will operate, as the main administrative arm of the Court is the eleven-member body whose main responsibility will be to appoint the Judges of the Court and to recommend a President to the Heads of Government.
The Commission, which will be chaired by the President, will comprise representatives of the Private Bar, civil society and the legal academic fraternity.
These developments come against the background of a decisive increase in public support for the CCJ. An Acceptance and Awareness Study conducted in several Member States in November 2002 revealed that public support rose to 80% in 2002 up from 68% in 2000. Respondents to the survey underpinned their support by indicating that a number of benefits will accrue to the region and its Member States as a result of the establishment of the Court.
Among the benefits highlighted were the possibility for an increased number of cases to be heard, the development of regional law, and greater accessibility to the Court.
