Dominica has received approval to leave the UK’s Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and join the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final court of appeal.
The Prime Minister today announced on DBS radio: “I just need to inform the country that Dominica has received no objection from the government of the United Kingdom with regards to our decision to de-link from the Privy Council”. Last year, the Dominica Government wrote to the British Government requesting its ‘no objection’ to go forward with de-linking from the Privy Council. This is a requirement of the Dominica constitution.
Mr Skerrit said, “That now paves the way for us to take the bill to Parliament to finally join the CCJ in its appellate jurisdiction.” Mr Skerrit called the decision “good news.”
He noted that the British government “had no difficulty in approving of this no objection to our request and we’re very pleased to receive that no objection”. He said that if the British government had not granted the “no objection” there would have had to have been a referendum
“It’s good news for the process of us recognising our own courts in the region,” Mr Skerrit stated.The Prime Minister said that the decision was also a positive development for “our march to greater integration within the Caricom region.”
The CCJ, which has its headquarters in Port of Spain, was established in 2001 by Caricom heads of government to serve as a substitute for the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Dominica signed the agreement on 15 February 2003. The CCJ began its operations in 2005.
I was under the impression that we did not need nor we were using the privy, council. As the final link to justice
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You with the question mark sign. Someone else is an idiot and not you, eh? I will not stoop as low as you to tell you how I feel about you.
You do not know someone and you call the person idiot? Who do you think you are? I say to you, “May God rebuke you” for being rude. You have no respect for people, no regard of what they stated and no consideration.
So you do not agree with some because you support a certain Party. Is this any reason to call people and those who are more educated than you are, to mention one example that you have to call the person idiot? You are the idiot.
I do find you are out of place and do not possess communication skills on how to respond to others on this Website. It appears that you have a bad temper and must learn to “free to agree or disagree” and amicably.
When you have learned that and practice it, you will be a kind, happy and peaceful person able to communicate amicably and respectfully to others. Your attitude leaves much to be desired. Clean up your act. I hope someday, especially after the election you eat your heart out with disappointment.
DNO should not allow people as you to insult others on its Website.
The day Dominica becomes a member of the CCJ, that will be the darkest day in our nations history, that is the day the sun will set on justice in the courts of Dominica.
From there on when political verdicts are rendered there be no place seek justice, in a Caribbean in Trinidad there will be no difference in the outcome of matters to that rendered in Dominica, since all the judges will be elected by the crocked politicians of all the islands involved in the court.
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
“UK Govt gives Dominica go-ahead to join CCJ”
DNO, your headline is very misleading. UK has given Dominica the permission to opt out of the Privy Council as her final court of appeal. That is all. UK has absolutely nothing to do with Dominica joining the CCJ, which your headline suggests.
that is to show u how biased and misleading they can be.
The headline could be misconstrued: it reads as if Dominica CANNOT join the CCJ, without Britain’s permission or approval. Dominica should dissociate relations with these neo colonialists who don’t give 2 cents about its well being.
The biggest mistake we made was to leave Great Britain, when we were under them we were far better off we had less crime our people had work, many of us went to England and bettered ourselves and families, right now we are all crying, fighting and with no where to go. Look at the islands like Bermuda, BVI,USVI and the French territories how much more they are advanced than us. Since independence we have regressed in many ways and now we are moving away from Britain again in our judicial system after we have seen what has happened to us after independence. What will the future hold, to late shall be there cry.
smh
A very big mistake, the CCJ is like a club of friends who will protect themselves and others and not the common people, its time we the people voice our opinions and get what we want and not what a selected few want for us which is regression, unemployment, poverty, whilst they are getting rich, wake up people time to get skerrit out!
Accept what is and live with it. You cannot foresee the future. In the end it may turn out well.
alas… but justice rests with the almighty.. because i know that CCJ there… it need a good wash out before it become good like the privi to represent us
So Mr. editor or moderator what happened to my post of earlier today
Did the Prime Minister expect them to object? on what basis? Dominica is an independent country. the provision in the constitution is not for Britain it is for Dominica.
Britain wrote the Constitution that Dominica goes by. Dominicans didn’t write it.
Please understand that the very wording in the Constitution underscores a protocol in international relationships that seeks to mitigate abruptness and hostility.
I find Admin is taking a very long time to moderate my comment. Something tells me that I am not the only one because it has been a while since this post is up and not one comment. Strange!
Are you telling me that Dominicans are not interested in the post about the CCJ or DNO does not like the posts that are being posted.
DNO prove me wrong.
You are not the only one who comments on this Website. Consider that DNO might be busy. Patience!
Skerrit i think this was your decision, and not the peoples decision.You did it on your own, in the same way you alone are entering into all kinds of arrangements on behalf of our country, unknowing to even your puppet cabinet.
MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES. GOOD THING YOU WILL BE KICKED OUT SOON.
He is the Prime Minister of Dominica. What do you expect? Have respect.
@ Simply the truth YOU ARE SUCH AN idiot…No wonder he takes fools like you for a ride, while he takes Dominica to the cleaners. Are you one of the greedy ones who take from the poor?
why don’t stop you just STOP your foolishness. you just making a FOOL of yourself
why don’t you just STOP your foolishness. you making a FOOL of yourself by commenting on for commenting SAKE. SOTP IT
Here we go. Great news Skeroo. You are always ahead of the game. Caribbean jurists for Caribbean people all the way. Some among us can die not because they do not want the CCJ, or that they do no think that Caribbean jusrists can be objective and forthright in their application of the law. No. Their objection is simple. This mielstone event is yet another feather in Mr. Skerrit’s cap and so if they could have delayed the process for when they come in govt. – when?
when ‘fire’ start to burn your bottom, i hope you will sing the same song.
I hopehat the average Dominican notes that they are not given any say in this matter, rather in his dictatorial style is telling us what he thinks we should have.
Apart from the legal fraternity, (no friend of the average Dominican) very few of us are satisfied with this, given the disastrous decisions that emminate from these appeals courts in the region, particularly, the ECCA. The unexplained delays in handling matters speedily, (among the reasons why the call for this CCJ was made, if we remember, washe inordinate length of time the appeals process of convicts took that the Privy Council was unhappy with and scolded our jurists, whose bruise pride made them call for CCJ), so be careful people now that they are on the road to controlling our entire lives, by their faulty rulings, from which there will be no real independent review.
I do not believe in the professed independence of this court when the current president of the court suddenly found himself in Dominica within weeks of Mr. Skerritt announcing that he was going to de-link from the Privy Council, and while his dual citizenship case was before our appeals court.
It is very difficult for the president of the CCJ to convince me that there was no association. Furthermore, it was this same CCJ that said (subject to correction) that cases in which the decision as to who is a duly elected member of parliament before the court should not take more than 90 days, (not the exact words), however, in the case involving Skerritt, it took more than three years to return a convoluted decision in favor of Skerritt not much longer after he came out pushing this CCJ.
It would seem to me that the judicial system in the Caribbean, particularly in the OECS states, and especially in Dominica, appears to be pushing the people towards vigilante justice.
But this is my belief, as the action and/or inaction so far by our courts support.
Which government of the world goes to its nationals for advice/information or a referendum whenever there are changes to even the constitution? The politicians decide them.
Did you not read what the PM said, if UK objected, there would be a referendum?
Justice & Truth go take a chill Pill we TIRED of your silly comments. Toneh.
No it is you and your propaganda that is trying to push Dominicabs to Vigilante Justice. You should know that the majority of Dominicans are peaceful and loving and aren’t easily fooled. Your hatred for people and political bias clouds your judgement and as such, you see nothing positive of Dominica. Some like you would distroy everything in their way to achieve their selfish goals.
you are so wrong.Keep saying that you seeing white when it’s black you are seeing.
wi pa pa, he run to tell this news but he does not tell us where he was for 3wks; Sorry for u Don Immanuel; that is wat he and Isidor waiting for. Wat a deceptive man telling the people wat they want to hear. Mr Skerrit do u believe wat u say? answer the question.
So he has to tell you everything and where he went? He has a deputy who takes over the reins when he is absent. For obvious reasons it is better that he does not publicize wherever he is going.
I reside in a country and I could not care two hoots where the PM goes, what he is doing and when he plans to return. I am too busy for that. You should keep busy. It appears those who make similar statements as you are too idle. This is putting it mildly.
u too sort.You are one who will buy a pig in a poke.Educate yourself about your rights.
Is your business where he go for three weeks? Last time I checked he was a big man. He is not your child! Check all you children that doing how much things behind closed doors!
Stop being small minded.Your political leader owes you that.He is not in private.
Sometimes under their noses and they are too blind to see or they turn away. Next thing they will be crying and wailing when their children go astray and get into trouble.
The hard time they give the PM, one day they will all pay for it be it in various ways. God is not blind, deaf or sleeping.
Brain Wash Skerrit brain wash them. BLIND B
If you were in Skerrits place would you not consider it as good news? Mr Skerrit called the decision “good news.” And “It’s good news for the process of us recognising our own courts in the region.” and The CCJ, which has its headquarters in Port of Spain, was established in 2001 by Caricom heads of government to serve as a substitute for the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. Dominica signed the agreement on 15 February 2003. The CCJ began its operations in 2005.
The CCJ was designed by greedy, unjust, and corrupt leaders and therefore, in other to protect their interests they had to put a system together that would have their best interest at heart instead of the best interest of the people of the Caribbean. The CCJ which is the grand child of the ECSE is based on I scratch your back and you scratch mine too. It has nothing to do with justice, constitution, and respect for the rule of law. For example, there is no way Skerrit would still be PM if we were under the Privy Council. There is no way the government would be made winner of the last presidential fiasco had we been served by the privy Council. So when the tree is corrupt it’s quite obvious the fruit will be corrupt as well.
I just dont trust that ccj no one can convince me that there is no political interference in there
we see the irregularities and one sided rullings being displayed from time to time and it will only get worse because money talks.
Give it a chance!
well is now skerrit cannot lose a case
Thats very bad news. The ccj just ruled in has no say in the rule that govern the process of eleccting a president. Who are we going to tunr too now? Venezuela? Morroco?. Its dooms day
Admin: Aren’t you referring to the recent ruling by the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC)?
Let me say that Britain has always expressed the desire to see us de-link from the privy counsel. It has become an administrative burden with financial implications off-course. So this response from the UK was expected without any negotiations.
It is time to sever from this last colonial arrangement. We are very able to manage our judiciary system.
I am pleased with the Prime Ministers leadership in moving Dominica to participating and owning fully the CCJ.
Long live the CCJ.
Sorry, but Skerrit, or any other Prime Minister of Dominica, cannot make that decision for the people of Dominica. That would be dictatorial. Let’s hear what the people of Dominica have to say about this by referendum.
In my opinion as a sovereign country while the constitution requires approval from the British Government our former colonial master to join the CCJ, I believe such a fundamental change in our judicial process as a democratic country should demand the ultimate approval by the people of the Commonwealth of Dominica in the form of a referendum . It would appear that Mr Skerrit refers to the constitution only when it suits him.How can we forget his famous words that no law not even the constitution can prevent him from being nominated as a candidate……..Do we have confidence in our Jurisprudence system ? I don’t.
These are my thoughts exactly. Why should Britain decide for the people of Dominica whether they join the CCJ or not. Utter rubbish, I say. We need a REFERENDUM.
We all knew that Britain does not have any objection for us de-linking from the privy council. In fact our arrangement with the privy council has become a burden for them and they have expressed their desire to see us move away from using their services.
I am very happy that our Prime Minister is moving forward with the de-linking agenda and having Dominica participate and own the CCJ. It is time that we sever this last colonial connection. I am confident that we can manage our judiary system.
Long live the CCJ.
Well look the nail the he coffin for seeking justice in the Courts. WIII BONDYE
Sad day for Dominica and the judicial system – the floodgates have been opened for more corruption
I really would have preferred if the British government had objected to this request.To refresh our memories, during the last general elections in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, the people voted back Dr. Gonsalves and his Unity Labour Party, but voted AGAINST making the CCJ the final appellate court. In other words, they voted to have a referendum on this issue. For circumstances as this one, the masses should ALWAYS be given the opportunity to determine their future.
I wonder why the Prime Minister was afraid to have a referendum. I still believe that is the best way to proceed with this serious and far reaching decision as a country because the people that is going to be affected should have a say in the decision and their future.
It’s not only the politicians that should have the final say and decision.
I am not convinced that our judges are matured enough dispense justice fairly when it involves the governments and this is the main concern I have about the CCJ.
DNO should carry out a poll to see the view of Dominicans on this subject matter.
Does a poll matter at this time? Too late for that. DNO do not waste your precious time.