The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will be hosting its 7th Annual International Law Moot this Friday 13th March, 2015, at its Headquarters in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Students from throughout CARICOM are set to participate in the competition which was established in 2009 to provide future law practitioners with the opportunity to further develop their research and advocacy skills in a real court setting. It also aims to build greater awareness of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) which governs the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME).
The CCJ is the only Court with the authority to interpret the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, a responsibility referred to as the Court’s Original Jurisdiction.
This year’s competition focuses on the timely issues of the enforcement of judgments by the CCJ in its Original Jurisdiction as well as referrals by national courts over questions concerning the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
Eight teams from Law Schools and Law Faculties throughout CARICOM will be vying for the CCJ Challenge Shield which was won by the Eugene Dupuch Law School of The Bahamas in 2014. These teams are:
1. University of the West Indies, Cave Hill
2. University of the West Indies, St Augustine
3. University of Guyana
4. University of the West Indies, Mona
5. Hugh Wooding Law School
6. Norman Manley Law School
7. Eugene Dupuch Law School
8. FHR Lim A Po Institute for Social Studies
Apart from the students filling the roles of advocates in the courtroom, first year students of the Faculty of Law, UWI (St Augustine campus) will form the Moot Registry, assuming the roles of Registrar; Deputy Registrar; Court Support Officer; Marshal; Timekeeper; and Usher.
This year’s moot is expected to be attended by representatives of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps; members of the Superior Courts of Record; representatives of the private sector, labour community, law school and secondary school students. (CCJ Press Release)
