More than 120 judicial officers attend CAJO conference

The 4th Biennial Conference of the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO) concluded on Saturday 26 September, 2015 at The Hilton Resort and Spa in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Held under the theme, ‘Setting High Standards for Justice Delivery’, the Conference attracted over 120 judicial officers from the Anglophone Caribbean, Curacao, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Canada and the USA.

The conference began on Thursday 24 September and the representatives heard keynote presentations from Professor Richard Drayton of the United Kingdom – ‘Longer than rope? Time, History, and the Law in the Caribbean’ and Professor Kimberly Papillon of the USA – ‘The neuro-science of Judicial decision-making and Impartiality’.

In addition, there were several panel discussions in which a variety of Regional and international distinguished jurists and academics participated.

CAJO elected a new Management Committee of 13 persons at the conference and passed one Resolution. The resolution re-affirms support for the principle of equality among the branches of the State and calls upon Caribbean States to take appropriate action to ensure that the judiciary is and is seen to be of commensurate status with the other branches so that the Head of the Judiciary is recognized, in practice, as the third highest public official in the Anglophone Caribbean territories. CAJO also deplored the practice of Heads of judiciary being appointed to acting positions for inordinately long periods of time. (Caribbean Court of Justice Press Release)