Wickham: Time to join CCJ

SOURCE: NATION NEWS - BARBADOS

PUBLISHED: TUE, JANUARY 08, 2013

It is time that Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago fully sign on to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as their final court of appeal.

This is coming from political scientist Peter Wickham, who thinks that both countries have a moral duty to accept the court.

Asked if those countries’ positions could demoralize the spirit of regional integration, especially now that Jamaica was using the court’s original jurisdiction to litigate the case of Shanique Myrie, one of its citizens, Wickham said: “I agree with you that the litigation is adding value to the argument that Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago ought to be part of the CCJ.

“The important thing to understand though is that the Myrie litigation is taking place under a component of the CCJ that both Jamaica and Trinidad are already signed on to. So we have to understand that they are in conformity with the aspects of the CCJ that is logical for the action that they are taking.” (JS)