BARBADOS — Once the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) is returned to office, Barbados will be withdrawing from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final Court of Appeal, the Barbados NationNews reported on May 20.
Stating quite clearly he was not taking issue with the decisions coming out of the court, Prime Minister Freundel Stuart said, however, he would not be changing his mind.
To loud applause from the crowd gathered for a national meeting at Eagle Hall, St Michael last night, Stuart said Barbados was the first to join and could be the first to leave.
Barbados joined the CCJ in 2004 and Stuart said even while in opposition in the Senate, he championed the cause of the court and urged the break from the Privy Council in England.
After 14 years, only Barbados, Guyana, Belize and Dominica have joined.
Stuart emphasised it was not the decisions because he knew the courts got decisions right and wrong and as a lawyer when he disagreed, he would appeal.
However, he noted Jamaica kept “a safe distance”, as did Trinidad and Tobago even though the headquarters were there and the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, decided by referendum, to stay with the Privy Council. Other Caribbean nations have opted not to join.
