Local official believes CCJ affected by political interference
Source:Dominica News Online Published: 2/22/10

Dominican Justice Irving Andre says the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has been affected by political interference, opposing the view of an official of the Caribbean law institute.

Executive Director of the Caribbean Law Institute Professor Winston Anderson last week dismissed suggestions that political interference may affect the CCJ, but Justice Irving Andre now contends there’s evidence of political interference in the court of appeal.

“There were suggestions that our own Sir Brian Alleyne did not receive the position of the chief justice on account of political observation from one of the regional leaders, and there has been for a number of years suggestions that the judicial system is not entirely impervious from influences from the political sphere,” he said.

“At this point, there is a strong narrative, suggesting based on historical evidence, that the court has not been entirely immune to that type of influence in the past,” Justice Andre underscored.

Justice Andre believes the onus is on the “powers that be” to ensure the final appeals court chosen for the region is free of political interferences.

“I think those who are making a significant contribution towards ensuring that we have a judicial system…which is second to none … and they have taken steps to try to ensure that when this thing becomes a reality that the question of political interference does not become an impediment towards the realization of justice in the Caribbean.”