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Since the inception of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), the appellate court has heard 232 cases of various types from the four countries, Dominica, Barbados, Guyana, and Belize, and 33 cases had been heard in the original jurisdiction. Political scientist Dr Indira Rampersad said the court was well poised to drive the regional integration process.
Speaking during a virtual presentation on The Caribbean Court of Justice and Regional Integration Confirmation for the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, St Augustine, Spotlight Series on Friday, Rampersad said, based on her research, the CCJ judgments showed a depth of research and a lack of bias, despite concerns to the contrary expressed by many in the Caribbean.
'The CCJ has indicated its profound appreciation of the principles of fairness, transparency, integrity, and proportionality, both procedurally and substantively, ideals which it insists should be upheld by all member states. The CCJ has demonstrated that it is a supranational (having power or influence that transcends national boundaries or governments) legal institution with compulsory and exclusive jurisdiction which can act independently, not only of public opinion and governments, but also of the Privy Council.
'The volume of cases emanating from this jurisdiction, and the principles and norms which the court disseminates would reverberate to impact national, regional, and international jurisprudence. These courts are already citing the CCJ's decisions, even while the Caribbean citizenry seems disinclined to adopt the court. The reason for this somewhat irrational stance has yet to be explored.'
She said the CCJ has heard several cases on political issues ranging from the right to vote of Commonwealth citizens in Barbados to whether a fixed-term executive president can secure a third term in Guyana. She said the seven judges currently on the bench sought to uphold the ideals of good governance, sovereignty, democracy, consultation, participation, consensualism, openness, transparency, respect for fundamental human rights, social justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
Rampersad said some of the areas in which the CCJ had developed new jurisprudence (theory and philosophy of law) were access to justice through land matters, reaching the underserved through hearing civil appeals which allowed ordinary people to benefit from the court, engendering Caribbean cultural norms, building a hybrid legal tradition, striving for constitutional constituency by restricting savings law clauses, separations of power, a broad spectrum right to property, a liberal and purposive approach to constitutional interpretation, cementing regional norms with respect to fundamental human rights, rejecting endemic delay in taking cases to court as part of a collective justice.
She said the critical issues addressed by the CCJ reflect a concerted effort by the court to bring the disparate Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME) states together by promoting regional judicial norms and values
\"Our Parliament has been reduced to a fish market with members jostling for five minutes of infamy. Is this the example our representatives want to set for our youth looking on?\"
Our Parliament has been reduced to a fish market with members jostling for 5 mins of infamy. Is this the example our representatives want to set for our youth looking on?
— Mickela (@mickelapanday) October 21, 2021
Leader of the Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) David Abdulah said, \"Does the UNC understand what they are doing? Their actions are seeking to dangerously divide the country. It is not about democracy. They are laying the basis for justifying why their motion will not succeed.
\"This is a serious issue but I am reminded of Explainer's Calypso – In Parliament they kicksin. The motion will be defeated
A former high-profile government official wants to see the application of the Barbados Light & Power Company Ltd. (BLPC) for a rate increase rejected, saying the timing is “really bad”. At the same time, Clyde Griffith, a former minister of energy in the early 1980s, told Barbados TODAY he believed greater emphasis should be placed […]
The post Rate increase timing ‘bad’ appeared first on Barbados Today.
[This Day] Chinedu Eze writes that since the federal government declared that it would concession terminal facilities in four major airports in the country, the plan has been fraught with controversies and fierce resistance from labour
THE Electoral College – which comprises all members of the House of Representatives and the Senate – on Thursday rejected a motion filed by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the appointment of a tribunal to investigate the removal of President Paula-Mae Weekes from office.
Persad-Bissessar's motion was in relation to events that led to the collapse of the Police Service Commission (PSC) last month and the failure to send a merit list of candidates for a commissioner of police (CoP) to the House for consideration.
Tunapuna MP Esmond Forde and Mayaro MP Rushton Paray were not present for the meeting of the college or the earlier sitting of the House, both having requested leave from Parliament and that leave being granted. No other members were absent
At the end of the college's meeting (during which members either voted yes. no or abstained when their names where called by the chairman, Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George, the Opposition fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to approve the motion.
A two-thirds vote of the members of both Houses of Parliament equates to 48 votes. The Government has 37 members in the House and Senate combined, while the Opposition has 25. The nine independent senators, Annisette-George and Senate President Christine Kangaloo complete the membership of the college.
[caption id=\"attachment_920232\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"1024\"] The meeting of the Electoral College on Thursday. Photo courtesy Parliament -[/caption]
Annisette-George announced the motion had been defeated by a vote of 47 against and 24 for. All 24 UNC parliamentarians present voted for the motion. The 36 government parliamentarians present voted against. Also voting against the motion were the nine independent senators, Annisette-George and Kangaloo to complete the 47-vote tally that saw it defeated.
When the independent senators each voted \"no\" on the motion, UNC parliamentarians cried, \"Shame!\" Their protests were particularly heightened when Independent Senator Charrise Seepersad (sister of former PSC chairman Bliss Seepersad) voted against the motion. Before the vote was taken, Opposition MPs continued the complaints they raised in the earlier sitting of the House, where the motion was heard.
Annisette-George reminded them the guidelines for the proceedings were clear. She said while there might be disagreement over the procedure being used, all members of the House and Senate agreed the matter was an important one to be dealt with.UNC MPs, including Persad-Bissessar, continued to complain about democracy being undermined, the lack of debate on the motion and whether the vote would be by secret ballot or not.
Opposition MPs and senators loudly protested the presence of Seepersad in the college's membership.
Earlier in the House, Annisette-George dismissed claims of bias levelled against Seepersad and herself in their participation in the proceedings. UNC MPs Khadijah Ameen and Rudranath Indarsingh demanded Annisette-George make a ruling on Seepersad's participation in the college,
Soca singer, songwriter and producer, Kerwin Du Bois is excited about the potential of his latest song and video release - an infectious dancehall/soca collaboration with Jamaica sensation Shenseea (Chinsea Lee) titled Can You Feel It.
The song was commissioned and executive-produced by the Carib Brewery as part of its rebranding, international thrust and 70th-anniversary celebrations.
The music video includes a notable intro and outro cameo from American hip-hop DJ and producer, Khaled \"DJ Khaled\" Mohamed Khaled, and was filmed and edited by award-winning, US director Gil Green.
Since its world premiere and release at a watch party held at the Carib Brewery, USA and 311 Lime House in Cape Canaveral on October 15, the video has received thousands of positive comments and feedback online from soca, dancehall, Carib beer and Caribbean fans and diaspora descendants worldwide, said a media release from Overtime Media. Many have even suggested the catchy, upbeat song could be used as a World Cup Football or similar sporting event theme-song or anthem, the release said.
Speaking at the launch of the video, Du Bois (who co-wrote the song with Shenseea and co-produced the music alongside Chris \"Jillionaire\" Leacock of Major Lazer fame) said he was proud and happy to represent such a strong Caribbean brand.
\"I feel proud to be from the Caribbean at a moment like this and I hope that we can all support and stand by Carib - as we all should do with everything Caribbean...,\" he said in the release.
\"Just now when ah see it, tears come to muh eyes because is really a blessing and ah honour to represent a brand such as Carib, but also to represent a brand such as soca, standing alongside dancehall in the form and the name of Shenseea - and hip-hop at the same time with DJ Khaled!
\"So its an honour to be a part of this completely and words cyah express how I feel really at this moment. Ah hope is a good look for de industry, for soca music - to let them know that we are capable and we are good enough to do anything and we have to be able to feel that we have what it takes... We have to believe in ourselves and know that this song and video is not just it - we have to do more!\"
Carib Brewery USA's marketing director, Asa P Sealy explained that the song and video are just part of the company's international marketing thrust, which seeks to invigorate and inspire regional pride.
In an interview with OvertimeTT immediately after the launch, he said: \"We wanted to use this opportunity to inject a measure of national and regional pride throughout the Diaspora and to bring the region together under the common umbrellas of our cultural exports, expertise and excellence. Here at the brewery, we have initiated a measure of innovation, which continues to inform and attract new consumers and interests within the beverage industry.\"
Du Bois expressed contentment with the finished product, which remained a closely-guarded secret even to him until the actual world premiere on Friday night.
Neither Khaled nor Lee w
Studies show the COVID-19 vaccines boost the antibody levels and improve the immune response of those who previously had COVID-19. The vaccines do not “wipe out” the antibodies developed by a person who had recovered from the disease, as social media posts have falsely claimed for months.
The post Already Had COVID-19? Vaccines Boost Immunity, Not 'Wipe Out' Antibodies appeared first on The Washington Informer.
Fish vendor Ikema Katrina Sobers was hauled before the law courts today on cocaine charges. It is alleged that the 33-year-old from Durants New Development, Lodge Road, Christ Church had in her possession 15. 2 grammes or $75 worth of cocaine on October 19. She is further charged with having the illegal substance with intent […]
The post Woman on cocaine charge appeared first on Barbados Today.
