Dear Editor,
Prime Minister of Barbados, Freundel Stuart, in a viral social media video posted on Saturday, May 19, 2018, addressed the functioning of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), and promised that his country would break from the Caribbean Court of Justice in its appellate jurisdiction once his party is re-elected to office.
Editor, this Prime Minister’s comments carry much weight in Guyana, considering conflict-of-interest questions as well as other unanswered questions. Prime Minister Stuart talks about “politicians wearing robes” – a reference to the judges on the CCJ bench – and expresses concern about “attitudes” that impact the CCJ’s functioning.
For Guyanese, the reference to attitudes is an interesting one, more so considering the questions about the actions of CCJ President Sir Dennis Byron in Guyana. Sir Byron has still not clarified his involvement in local happenings, despite questions having been raised in our own local letter columns about his involvement.
There are also unanswered questions about linkages involving Sir Byron’s Judicial Assistant, Richard Layne, whose grandfather, James Patterson, was unilaterally appointed GECOM Chairman. Layne is also connected to the father of a sitting Minister, since it was Donald Trotman – who also has another controversial appointment as head of the Lindo Creek CoI – who presented his petition for admission to the local Bar.
That certain top Government officials have displayed ‘inside knowledge’ about how the CCJ will rule in the third term presidential challenge remains something that the Court itself has not addressed; displaying instead a silence that is even more worrying when you factor in Prime Minister Stuart’s recent comments about “politicians in robes” sitting on the CCJ bench.
Editor, in my humble view, the biggest worry that the CCJ has is about losing the confidence of people. Once the Caribbean people lose confidence in the CCJ, there will be many ramifications. Looking ahead, you have to wonder if the CCJ will answer the unanswered questions and put to rest concerns, or allow the growing problem of confidence in the CCJ to fester.
Sincerely,
Zeniah Talbot