The work towards the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will move into a heightened state in 2003 with a series of activities. The first of these is a joint meeting of national co-ordinators for the establishment of the CCJ in Guyana on 12 January 2003.
The role of the national coordinators is regarded as critical to the effort as they are responsible for ensuring the implementation of commitments at the national level for the establishment of the Court. In addition the national coordinators are charged with ensuring that the programme of public education is effectively realized in the individual CARICOM Member States.
At the meeting in Guyana the national coordinators will be addressed on four critical issues namely: the importance of the CCJ; the communications dimension; the present state of play specifically as it relates to action required at the level of the Community and the national level. Programme planning initiatives for each Member State are also slated for the deliberations.
While the CCJ is regarded by many as an institution that will complete the cycle of independence for CRICOM Member States, it is also critical to the effective operation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). The Court in its Original Jurisdiction will interpret and apply the Treaty provisions which establishes the CSME – the Treaty of Chaguaramas.
The CCJ will also be a municipal court adjudicating on criminal and civil matters. The CARICOM Secretariat’s legal consultant, Mr. Duke Pollard, will lead the full deliberations on the importance of the Court.
The co-ordinator for the CCJ Project Management Unit at the CARICOM Secretariat Mr Sheldon McDonald will lead discussion on the action to the taken at the regional and national levels for the establishment of the CCJ. Some of the issues to be highlighted include work towards the establishment of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission and ratification of the Agreement establishing the CCJ by Member States of the Community.
The Secretariat’s Director of Information and Communication Ms Jacqui Wiltshire Forde will lead discussion on the communications dimension. The communications component of the CCJ project has long been regarded as critical given the many issues that are involved in the work towards the establishment of the Court. This component of the work towards the establishment of the CCJ will be intensified in 2003 with public education initiatives taking place in all Member States.
It is expected that all Member States will be represented at the Meeting.
