CCJ blocks ex-PM’s son

However, on his arrival at Douglas/ Charles airport in Dominica, Lee, 28, along with his three-member team Tiasha Oralie Russell, Junior Fraser and Mario Christopher Wallace were denied entry and detained in what Douglas described as, “inhumane conditions”, before being deported the following day.

This led to the cancellation of the show which was financed by Douglas, who demanded US$3 million from the Dominican government as compensation.

In a 18 page ruling delivered yesterday, the CCJ ruled that Douglas failed to prove a breach of treaty rights under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas which were intended to benefit him directly.

The judges also held that it was not possible to access the court’s original jurisdiction merely because another person’s rights under the Treaty may have been breached.

Douglas, in a media statement, expressed disappointment in the decision.

“I’m obviously disappointed with the decision,” he stated.

What is even more disappointing, he added, is the state of jurisprudence in the Caribbean.

There is a reason why only four out of 15 countries have agreed to embrace the CCJ as its final court of appeal and this decision “in my humble opinion”, is a clear example why this is so.

He said it was his belief that the CCJ squandered an opportunity to build its credibility as an international court.

“In order to achieve credibility among the Caribbean people, at some point, politics, corruption and personal relationships need to be removed from judicial decision making,” he said adding the court’s decision was “laughable at best.” “Not only is this laughable but it opens the floodgates for litigation, which clearly could not be the intention of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

If for example there were 1,000 persons planning to attend the concert that would mean there could be 1,000 potential lawsuits by patrons seeking to recover the $50 price of admission,” he added.