C.C.J. education campaign begins in Belize
The Ministry of the Attorney General is this week hosting a public education campaign for the establishment of a Caribbean Court of Justice. As part of that goal at today’s launch, members of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and the Belize Business Bureau took part in a panel discussion that looked at the Caribbean Single Market and its impact on Belizean businesses in relation to the C.C.J. Manorma Soeknandan, is the Head of Legislation and Judicial International Affairs in Suriname. She says that through the CARICOM Single Market and Economy all countries will have the same rules for employment and investment.
Manorma Soeknandan
“In respect to the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, the Caribbean Court of Justice will give legal certainty to investors and business people. Let me give you an example, let’s say someone wants to invest in Belize and he’s from a managerial staff or the director of a certain big company coming out of Trinidad or Suriname and the Belizean authorities say, “No you need a work permit”, while in the other member states we don’t have the requirement of a work permit. In that case, it is discrimination, then this businessperson can bring the Belizean authority to the Caribbean Court of Justice.
The same goes for, let us say, I am from Suriname. Business people would like to acquire a certain amount of land to invest. Now in Suriname, the case is when you have bought a certain amount of land and you are a foreigner not residing in Suriname, you need the approval of the Council of Ministers, while Surinamese people they can acquire land and all they need is an ordinance of the minister. So for foreigners you need to go to a higher level and it is more bureaucracy, it’s more people work, which means you need more time before you can start your business and that is discriminatory.”
Later this week, topics for discussion will include the relationship between the media and the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, and of course, the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice. The meeting is taking place at the Radisson Fort George Hotel.
