Press briefed on new Caribbean court

This week a representative of CARICOM is in Belize to provide Belizeans with more information on the establishment of a new regional court. Sheldon McDonald, Coordinator of the Preparatory Committee says the Caribbean Court of Justice would replace the appellate role of the Privy Council in England and would also resolve trade disagreements within CARICOM. McDonald says all the member states have pledged to stand united behind the project.

Sheldon McDonald, Caribbean Court of Justice Committee

“All the countries, at successive meetings, in Trinidad and again at the intercessional in St. Kitts in March, indicated their support for the establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice. It’s that some member states may go ahead initially but all member states will be on board. You know there’s the appellate jurisdiction of the court, those of us who have appeals to the Privy Council to place that in the Caribbean, in the court. And those of us with original jurisdiction that concerns the Caribbean single market economy. The final and determinative settlement of disputes arising in the integration movement. All the member states have a vested interest and Belize has a very vested interest in being on board.”

It is estimated that the project will require 20 U.S. million dollars to sustain itself for the first 5 years, a cost that would be divided among the member states. While in Belize McDonald will be meeting with officials from the Attorney General’s Ministry as well as the bar association to discuss the project.