- Your Excellency The Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, ON, GCMG, CD, KSt.J, Governor-General of Jamaica;
- Dr. The Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP, Prime Minister of Jamaica and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM);
- Honourable John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize and Lead Head of Government in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet for Justice and Governance;
- Other Heads of State and Government of CARICOM;
- Honourable Mr. Justice Winston Anderson, Incoming President of the Caribbean Court of Justice;
- Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders, Outgoing President of the Caribbean Court of Justice;
- Ministers of Government;
- Ms. Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, KC, Commissioner of the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission;
- Ms. Gabrielle Figaro-Jones, Registrar and Chief Marshal, and Other Staff of the Caribbean Court of Justice;
- Other Distinguished Members of the Judiciary;
- Special Invited Guests;
- Members of the Media;
- Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today’s Ceremony affirms and celebrates the decision of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to set up the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which, in its original jurisdiction, is the final dispute resolution mechanism under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.
This is not merely a ceremonial event. It is a powerful affirmation that CARICOM values the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, and the continuity of regional jurisprudence.
The Honourable Mr. Justice Winston Charles Anderson will be the fourth President of this our apex Court. He is the quintessential Caribbean Jurist, having obtained his LLB and LLM degrees from the University of the West Indies (UWI), our premier Regional Institution of higher learning. Dr. Anderson – as he then was – returned after time in the United Kingdom, to share his talents with his alma mater. There, he gave distinguished service in the Faculty of Law as Deputy Dean, Head of the Teaching Department of Law, and UWI Senior Lecturer in Law.
At the CARICOM Secretariat, we had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Anderson as General Counsel from 2003 to 2006. He served with his trademark insight and incisiveness, and was of invaluable assistance in those critical years prior to the start of the CCJ in 2005.
We were, therefore, not at all surprised when Dr. Anderson was sworn in as Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice in June 2010, the first Jamaican and, at age 49, the youngest judge ever appointed to the CCJ. As founding Chairman of the CCJ Academy for Law, he has helped to promote and shape standards, and best practices, in jurisprudence for the next generation of practitioners.
Today’s Ceremony marks the logical next step in the professional trajectory of this extraordinary regional jurist.
The Office of the President carries not only the highest responsibility within the judicial system, but also embodies the trust and confidence of the people. It is a role that calls for wisdom in judgment, integrity in conduct, and leadership in times of challenge and change.
The CCJ President not only presides over judgments, but also shapes the tone, integrity, and institutional strength of the Court itself. This leadership will be crucial as we navigate complex legal issues in an era defined by technological change, social transformation, and global interconnectedness.
Justice Anderson, on behalf of the Caribbean Community, I warmly congratulate you on this remarkable achievement. We are reminded by the wise Jamaican proverb that ‘de olda de moon, de brighter it shine!’. We are therefore confident that, with the wealth of experience you bring to your Presidency, this vital body, under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, is in knowledgeable and capable hands.
I extend very best wishes for your tenure.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
