On Friday, 12th January 2024, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court will mark the commencement of the New Law Year with its traditional Ceremonial Opening proceedings under the theme “Innovation and Justice Reform” – The ECSC Looking to the Future. This year, the host Member State is Grenada, where the first scheduled sitting for the Court of Appeal for 2024 will occur.
The Ceremonial Opening will commence with a church service in most Member States and Territories. In Dominica, the Church Service will be held at the Bethesda Methodist Church, Roseau, commencing at 8:15 a.m. This will be followed by a procession to the Dame Eugenia Charles Boulevard, Bay Front, Roseau, where a Guard of Honor will be inspected by the Resident Judges, outside of the Magistrate’s Court Building, followed by the Special Sitting at 10:00 a.m.. at the Criminal Court Room, Supreme Court Building.
Similar to the past three years, there will be one Special Sitting throughout the 9 Member States and Territories. The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Dame Janice M. Pereira, DBE, LL.D, will deliver the feature address, appearing live from the Court in Grenada along with the other speakers from the various Member States and Territories of the Eastern Caribbean. Attorney-at-law, Mr. Lennox Lawrence will deliver remarks at the Special Sitting as Dominica’s Representative.
The Special Sitting will be streamed live to the other Member States and Territories via the Grenada Information Services media platforms and social media pages to the other Member States and Territories of the OECS. It will also be live-streamed via the Court’s Website and Facebook Page, the websites and social media pages of the Government Information Services in each Member State and Territory, and UWITV.
The public is encouraged to participate in the Ceremonial Opening of the Law Year 2024 by attending either the church service or the Special Sitting or by watching and listening on the various media platforms.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The (ECSC) is a superior court of record for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State. To learn more about the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), please visit our website @ https://www.eccourts.org/ or call us at Tel: 758-457-3600
DNO, why is it your REPLY mechanism for COMMENTS is not functioning properly? Can anything be done to correct this expeditiously? Just asking!
ADMIN: We have made some adjustments to address this. Let us know if you have any issues.
It could be a browser issuce becuase I’ve notied that it works with Edge but not Chrome.
There was a time when the court was regarded as sacred. The judges were considered to be infallible. Everyone respected and accepted the decisions of the court. In fact, to question the court’s decision was considered to be ‘sacrilegious’.
Today, there is a diametrically change in the way people think about our justice system. The court is no longer considered to be an arbitrator of justice. Most magistrates and judges are think of as being beholden to incumbent politicians.
In the nine member OECS grouping, there needs to be electoral, judicial and constitutional reforms. There is too much wiggle room for corrupt politicians in high office to manipulate these systems. The loop holes for corruption in these systems need to be sewn up.
No government should have any authority to appoint the DDP, magistrates nor supreme court judges. Justice should be swift. Delayed justice is injustice. More technology should be used to hasten the work of the court. Let justice reign.
What is the meaning of fiat Justitia?
“Let justice be done, though the world may perish.”A maxim meaning that a just decision should be made at whatever cost in terms of practical consequences.
I see the flag of Dominica on there. Why do we have people sitting in jail for years on remand without evidence or trial? why are we dragging opposition to court with no evidence? Wh do we have people involved in racketeering, extra judicial killings, theft, money laundering and the likes walking streets? why do we have interference by politicians with the court. we are not holding up to the value on paper.