T&T begins process to make CCJ final court of appeal in criminal matters

Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar told Parliament in Port of Spain Wednesday Trinidad and Tobago will begin the process of replacing the London-based Privy Council as the country's final court of appeal on all criminal matters.

When the process is completed all such matters will be heard before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which is based in Port of Spain.

Judges of the CCJ: Back row (L to R): The Hon. Mr. Justice Jacob Wit, The Hon. Mr. Justice Winston Anderson, The Hon. Mme. Justice Desiree Bernard, The Hon. Mr. Justice David Hayton. Front Row (L to R): The Hon. Mr. Justice Rolston Nelson, The Rt. Hon. Mr. Justice Dennis Byron - CCJ President, The Hon. Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders

The Panday UNC administration announced in 1999 that Trinidad & Tobago would house the CCJ. 

On February 14, 2001 leaders of Antigua, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago signed the agreement establishing the CCJ. 

Two more states signed joined on February 15, 2003 - Dominica and st Vincent and the Grenadines - brining the number of signatories to 12.

Former Trinidad & Tobago Chief Justice Michael de la Bastide was sworn-in as the court's first president on August 18, 2004. However the court was not inaugurated until August 18, 2005.

The current president of the court is Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron. Other judges who are members are:

• Rolston Nelson
• Adrian Saunders
• Desiree Bernard
• Jacb Witt
• David Hayton
• Winston Anderson

The vision of the court is: "To provide for the Caribbean Community an accessible, fair, efficient, innovative and impartial justice system built on a jurisprudence reflective of our history, values and traditions while maintaining an inspirational, independent institution worthy of emulation by the courts of the region and the trust and confidence of its people."

Click here to read the PM's statement to Parliament