2 Trini lawyers on CCJ Commission

TWO Trinidad and Tobago senior lawyers are among ten Caribbean personalities to be sworn in this morning as members of the Regional Judicial and Legal Service Commission which will have the task of selecting the first panel of judges for the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

Kenneth Lalla SC and Allan Alexander SC, two distinguished TT lawyers will be sworn in by this country’s Chief Justice Sat Sharma at the ceremony to be held at the Hall of Justice, Port-of-Spain, beginning at 10 am. Lalla is currently the chairman of the Police Service Commission and the Public Service Commission. He has been a member of the TT Judicial and Legal Service Commission for the past 13 years, and is the chairman of the Defence Force Commission’s Board. When contacted yesterday, Lalla told Newsday that he was pleased that he was asked to serve at another level. “I feel I can make a contribution. I have been rendering services to my country at various levels. I certainly will find it a pleasure to make a contribution, not only in Trinidad and Tobago, but within the Caribbean region.” Alexander is one of the most senior lawyers in this country, having appeared in several high profile cases. The last high profile case in which he was involved was leading the defence team for former Prime Minister Basdeo Panday who is charged with three counts of failing to declare his account at the National Westminster Bank, London. The other members of the Commission to be sworn in are Sir David Simmons, Chief Justice of Barbados, Sir Vincent Floissac, Dr Lloyd George Barnette, Professor Aubrey Bishop, Mrs Gloria Gray, Professor Magda Hoever, Ms Nelcia Robinson, and Othniel Sylvester QC.

Robinson is the co-ordinator of the Caribbean Association for Feminist Research and Action (CAFRA). She was nominated by the Secretary General of Caricom and the Director of the OECS. She was born in St Vincent and has been a development worker for the past 30 years. The swearing in of the 10 members of the Commission is the first step towards the functioning of the CCJ. The Commission will have the task of choosing the first panel of judges of what will be a landmark occasion when the CCJ is inaugurated in Trinidad in November. After the swearing in, the ten members of the Commission will sit down and elect the Chairman. It is expected that the Barbados Chief Justice will be elected chairman. The intention of the CCJ is to function as the highest court of appeal within Caricom. The regional court is to have original jurisdiction in matters pertaining to the functioning of the Caribbean Single Market, as well as the final appellate jurisdiction for member countries of the institution, once they have severed links with the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. While some countries have received the all clear to move ahead with the CCJ, Trinidad and Tobago is still waiting. The TT Parliament is yet to debate legislation which will give this country the all clear to be part of the CCJ. That legislation is expected to be placed on the agenda in time for the reconvening of Parliament on August 29.