Jamaica Senate committee meets Wednesday on CCJ issue

By Michelle Nurse Last updated Nov 10, 2015

KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Senate is scheduled to meet on Thursday and Friday at Gordon House, to continue debate on the three Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Bills.

However, when the debate resumes and how it will proceed may depend on the outcome of Wednesday’s meeting of the Senate’s Privileges Committee.

The debate has been halted since the suspension of Opposition member, Senator Marlene Malahoo Forte on October 23, for failing to hand over a copy of a 2010 letter from the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) to the Government of Jamaica, offering to sit in Jamaica.[su_box title=”The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ)” style=”soft” box_color=”#54c0f0″]The CCJ was inaugurated on 16 April, 2005 in Trinidad and Tobago where it is headquartered. Its central role is providing legal certainty to the operations of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). It is structured to have two jurisdictions – an original and an appellate. In its original jurisdiction it ensures uniform interpretation and application of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, thereby underpinning and advancing the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. As the final court of appeal for Member States of the Caribbean Community it fosters the development of an indigenous Caribbean jurisprudence[/su_box]