Attorney General says Belize will adapt CCJ by 2011

Wilfred Elrington

While the opposition raised the ante calling for the resignation of Foreign Minister, on Monday, Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington wearing his hat as Attorney General gave a commitment on the Caribbean Court of Justice. The CCJ has been an idea toyed with in judicial and even parliamentary circles for years and not every country in the Caribbean has signed up for membership.  At Monday’s Supreme Court opening, Elrington said that by the time the Supreme Court meets at next year’s opening, Belize would have fully adopted the CCJ as its final appellant court, permanently replacing the Privy Council.

Wilfred Elrington, Attorney General

“It’s only for us to pass the legislation and I imagine we’re gonna do that sometime this year because of the majority that we have in the House we don’t necessarily need the other side to join in.  But I don’t see them having any difficulty because they had proposed the legislation the last time when the UDP was in opposition and it failed because we did not give it the support that it needed at that time. Of course, the circumstances have now changed and the prime minister has decided that he is going to go ahead with it.”

Marion Ali

“In terms of the technical aspects of it, courtroom procedures and so forth, is it a lot different from what we’re used to?”

Wilfred Elrington

“Not really, physically no. Perhaps it will even be less formal than the Supreme Court. I am told that the court will be an itinerant court so they will come to Belize and hear cases and then they will go to Jamaica and Trinidad. And of course, those courts are regarded as specialized courts so you really have to train properly and sharp to practice in them. But outside of that, I don’t think it’s different from the court process that we are accustomed to.”