National

Covers So Many Areas Of Life For The Caribbean People

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Caribbean Court of Justice, now 20 years old, continues to assert its relevance and independence in the region, prompting renewed questions about why countries like The Bahamas still rely on the UK for final appeals.

Published

9 months ago

June 22, 2025

Jerome Sawyer

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Caribbean Court of Justice was established as the final appeals court for some Caribbean countries within the Caribbean Community, CARICOM.

Now celebrating its 20th year of existence, the court is described by its incoming president as “taking its place in the minds and consciousness of the Caribbean people.”

The Honourable Justice Winston Anderson, a judge of the court and now President Designate, boasts of the court’s uniqueness, emphasizing that it is the only court with dual jurisdictions. It functions as the final court of appeal for member countries, and also serves as a court where treaty disputes within the Caribbean Single Market and Economy, CSME, are heard.

An extremely important facet of the independence of this Trinidad-based court is its trust fund, which covers operational costs and ensures financial autonomy.

Over the past two decades, the court has delivered some 400 judgments related to final appeals. An additional 40 judgments have resolved trade disputes, demonstrating its wide jurisdiction and growing influence.

What is especially notable is that these judgments, though issued by the CCJ, are cited and applied by countries outside the court’s jurisdiction, The Bahamas included.

This raises a key question: how long will The Bahamas and other non-member states continue to remain outside of the Caribbean Court’s jurisdiction, relying on the United Kingdom for final appeals?

Justice Anderson believes that maintaining a final court in a foreign country, thousands of miles away, is not a sustainable model for the region’s future.