News from the Caribbean:
Cayman Islands court awards default judgment in $9.2 billion lawsuit
November 9, 2011
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands -- The Grand Court of the Cayman Islands has granted a default judgment in favour of Ahmad Hamad Algosaibi & Brothers (AHAB) against Maan Al Sanea “for conspiracy and breach of fiduciary duty."
Guyana PM's wife and son may face arrest in US for child abduction and contempt of court
November 8, 2011
PHILADELPHIA, USA -- Yvonne Hinds, the wife of Guyana’s Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, and their son Nikolai potentially face arrest for abduction and contempt of court whenever they return to the United States, if they fail to produce Nikolai’s US-born son...
Cayman Islands court ruling on fund directors' liability prompts new insurance solution
October 19, 2011
LONDON, England -- On the heels of a landmark judgment by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, which found two independent directors of a failed investment fund guilty of “willful neglect” and facing US$111 million in damages...
Barbados welcomes Inter-American Court of Human Rights
October 13, 2011
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) -- Barbados has welcomed the idea of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) 44th extraordinary period of sessions being held on its shores for the first time. In a courtesy call at the Office of the Attorney General...
New Belize justice of appeal sworn in
October 13, 2011
BELMOPAN, Belize -- Professor Duke Pollard from Guyana was on Tuesday sworn in as a temporary justice of the Belize Court of Appeal by the Governor General, Sir Colville Young, at Belize House, Belmopan. Pollard is a well-known legal luminary...
OAS calls on member states to strengthen Inter-American Court of Human Rights
October 13, 2011
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- The Inter-American Court of Human Rights convened an extraordinary session for the first time in a Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country this week, bringing together judges of the court, government officials...
Bahamas appeal judge backs Bail Bill
October 10, 2011
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Bahamas Court of Appeal Justice Christopher Blackman said he supports the proposed measures that would make it more difficult for persons accused of serious crimes to get bail. Blackman, who is from Barbados...
Bahamas should abandon Privy Council, says chief justice
October 8, 2011
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett said on Thursday that The Bahamas should eventually abandon the Privy Council as the final court of appeal and move toward the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
Inter-American court to hold special sessions in Barbados next week
October 7, 2011
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) -- History will be created next week when the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (ICHR) holds its 44th Extraordinary Period of Sessions in Barbados from October 10 - 14, the first of its kind for the region.
Commentary: The Virtual Magistrate: An old idea for a new Caribbean cyberspace (part 1)
October 1, 2011
As the Caribbean region struggles to find its own space in the world of virtual business transactions, the issues of transparency, efficiency and dispute resolution have become major difficulties in the development of international business relations.
Evidence provisionally ruled inadmissible in Guyana libel case
September 30, 2011
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- When President Bharrat Jagdeo’s libel case against Freddie Kissoon and Kaieteur News continued before Justice Brassington Reynolds in Guyana on Wednesday afternoon, counsel for the plaintiff...
Bahamas chief justice warns government on bail bill
September 27, 2011
NASSAU, Bahamas -- As part of its response to the high level of violent crime, the Bahamas government is preparing to introduce in Parliament a bill to address the issue of bail, but Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett has warned that...
Bahamas chief justice hits out at minister
September 26, 2011
NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Chief Justice of The Bahamas, Sir Michael Barnett, on Friday fired back at Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest, who on Thursday suggested that some judges are too liberal when it comes to granting bail.
More courtroom fireworks as libel case continues in Guyana
September 24, 2011
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) -- President Bharrat Jagdeo’s lawyer, Anil Nandlall on Thursday slammed Christopher Ram, one of the lawyers representing the defence, for attempting to put to the witness a document which Ram claimed to be...
Jamaica parliament debates abolition of preliminary enquiries
September 23, 2011
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) -- Debate on the Committal Proceedings Act, 2011, which seeks to abolish preliminary enquiries in resident magistrate's courts in Jamaica, began on Tuesday in the House of Representatives.
British expert says preliminary inquiries should end in Eastern Caribbean
September 17, 2011
KINGSTOWN, St Vincent -- A British legal expert helping with the revamping of the criminal justice system in the Eastern Caribbean believes that preliminary inquiries should be abolished. A preliminary inquiry determines if the state has enough evidence...
Privy Council rejected argument Bahamas death penalty was unconstitutional in 1995
August 30, 2011
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Amid an escalating murder rate, the 2006 Privy Council decision that eliminated the mandatory death penalty for murder convicts has been the subject of much debate in The Bahamas.
Public education events to sensitise St Kitts-Nevis residents on CCJ
August 30, 2011
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM) -- A series of public education events aimed at sensitising the public in St Kitts and Nevis about the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) was due to start on Monday. The events precede the swearing in on Thursday of...
Council of Legal Education meets in St Kitts next week
August 27, 2011
BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CUOPM) -- The Council of Legal Education meets in St Kitts early next month. The Council is made up of attorneys general of member governments; the chief justices, the practicing legal profession, the dean of the Faculty of Law...
Belize government reacts to CCJ rulings
August 19, 2011
BELMOPAN, Belize -- The government of Belize has issued a press statement in response to the orders made on Tuesday by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The applicants in the case before the CCJ, Dean Boyce and British Caribbean Bank...
Seven years and counting for Bahamas extradition case
August 18, 2011
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Attorneys for four alleged drugs dealers on Tuesday insisted that there was not enough evidence to support the men’s extradition to Florida from The Bahamas. Trevor Roberts, Devroy Moss, Gordon Newbold and Sheldon Moore...
Eleven convicted murderers freed in Bahamas following resentencing
August 16, 2011
NASSAU, Bahamas -- Eleven murder convicts who had been condemned to death have been freed as a consequence of the Privy Council’s landmark decision in 2006 that declared the mandatory death penalty unconstitutional.
Ashcroft Alliance files application in the CCJ against Belize
August 4, 2011
BELMOPAN, Belize -- The government of Belize was on Tuesday served with notice of an application filed in the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) by the Ashcroft Alliance. The application is by Ashcroft's British Caribbean Bank Limited...
Law providing for mandatory non-jury trials comes into force in Belize
August 2, 2011
BELMOPAN, Belize -- The prime minister of Belize, Dean Barrow, has signed Orders to bring into force the recently-enacted Indictable Procedure (Amendment) Act and the Juries (Amendment) Act, which provide for non-jury trials in certain...
New chief justice appointed in Belize
July 27, 2011
BELMOPAN, Belize -- Attorney General B. Q. Pitts has announced the appointment of Justice Kenneth Benjamin as chief justice of Belize with effect from 15 September 2011. Benjamin is an experienced judicial officer and attorney-at-law.
Commentary: Attorney general's powers and the right to hold public officers accountable
July 27, 2011
A recent judgment by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has ruled in favour of the Attorney General of Belize taking legal action against two former Cabinet ministers for losses suffered by the State as a result of their wrongful exercise of lawful authority.
Inter-American Court plans special session in Barbados
July 14, 2011
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- If all goes according to plan, Barbados will create history later this year when the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR) holds its 44th Extraordinary Period of Sessions here from October 10-14.
Commentary: Idle-minded debate on Privy Council continues...
July 1, 2011
"I am frankly ashamed when I see the list of Commonwealth counties that still cling to that jurisdiction (the Privy Council). Even more so to know it is a list dominated by the Caribbean." Former Commonwealth secretary general, Sir Shridath...
Grenada joins International Criminal Court
May 20, 2011
NEW YORK, USA -- Grenada has acceded to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) -- the founding treaty of the first permanent international court capable of trying perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
Letter: Conflict of interest in legal matters
May 11, 2011
An interesting piece by Mr Phinsley St. Louis in the New Today of April 29, 2011, regarding the office of the attorney general and private representation after leaving office. I quote, “...the unethical and profound disregard for all moral standards...
Constitutional challenge in Belize attracts high profile international lawyers
April 26, 2011
BELMOPAN, Belize -- A constitutional motion in which a sex-related law is being challenged in Belize has attracted several high profile international attorneys. Caleb Oronzco, a health educator and advocate for gay rights, and the...
Jamaica's governor general challenges lawyers to improve negative image
April 19, 2011
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s governor general, Sir Patrick Allen, has challenged the legal fraternity to embark on programmes aimed at improving the negative perception that the general public has of its members.
CCJ conducts first hearing via videoconference
April 9, 2011
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) used its new videoconferencing facilities for the first time on Friday to conduct a court hearing. The matter was a case management conference.
Harvard Caribbean Law Association holds second annual conference
April 4, 2011
BOSTON, USA -- Representing a significant opportunity to facilitate workable solutions to the myriad issues that hinder economic progress in the region, the Harvard Caribbean Law Association hosted its second annual conference last weekend.
Commentary: Golding seems to have had a change of heart about CCJ
March 26, 2011
As Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar seems to move further away from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), her Jamaican counterpart, Bruce Golding, may have had a change of heart.
More calls for governments to join CCJ
March 23, 2011
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- The outgoing president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Michael de la Bastide, and the president designate, Sir Dennis Byron, have called on regional governments that have not yet joined the regional court.
Commentary: What was the process applied in appointing the new CCJ chief justice?
March 21, 2011
The recent news from the Caribbean Court of Justice and the CARICOM Secretariat indicating that Sir Dennis Byron has been appointed as chief justice of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) came to many regional observers as a great surprise.
Sir Dennis Byron is new CCJ president
March 16, 2011
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad -- Sixty-seven-year-old Sir Dennis Byron is the new president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). Sir Dennis, who was Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeal, replaces Michael de la Bastide.
Commentary: Caribbean Law: Some legal issues in climate change
March 3, 2011
“The field of law has, in many ways, been the poor relation in the world-wide effort to deliver a cleaner, healthier and ultimately fairer world. We have over 500 international and regional agreements, treaties and deals covering everything from...
Commentary: Politicians should not publicly ridicule judges
February 22, 2011
I read with great interest a report in the last issue of the Vincentian newspaper that stated that the senior judge in that jurisdiction, Frederick Bruce Lyle, has recused himself from hearing a civil matter brought by the "Vote No" committee.
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