Gov’t still hopes to join the CCJ

The government has not totally abandoned the campaign to make the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Antigua and Barbuda’s final court of appeal, replacing the London-based Privy Council.
A major public education for the court was launched in 2016, however, at the end of August 2017, the organising committee said that the programme had stopped. The country’s main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), was also blamed for stagnating the process by failing to offer its recommendations for constitutional reform.
Melford Nicholas, information minister, told reporters at last week’s Cabinet meeting that the opportunity now exists to review the process again.
“There have been certain leadership changes in the UPP and we will certainly be putting it back on the table.” Nicholas said.
The minister stated that there has to be a resolution to this particular issue.
He further explained that the transition to the CCJ will require a referendum and the government does not wish to be negligible in its response.
“I think that one of the things the UPP had called for was the inclusion of other matters that could form part of any referendum. There would have to be a determination on how many questions we will put forward,” Nicholas said.
(More in today’s Daily Observer)