—message follows controversy over leadership, judicial independence
Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) President, Justice Winston Anderson has said the court’s jurisprudence remains “strong, principled, and respected” as it begins its 2026–2027 judicial year, following the recent public dispute over its leadership and allegations of interference in judicial decision-making.
In a video posted on the court’s Facebook page marking the opening of the judicial year yesterday, Justice Anderson reaffirmed the institution’s independence and commitment to serving the Caribbean. The message did not directly address the controversy arising from leaked correspondence among its judges.
“What does it mean to be CCJ? It means being the court of the Caribbean, for the Caribbean, independent in judgment, steadfast in purpose, committed to serve,” Anderson said.
“The court is fully engaged, fully dedicated, and ready for the 2026–2027 judicial year and the years beyond.”
He said the opening provided an opportunity to reflect on the court’s achievements and look ahead to its work in serving the people of the region.
The message comes ahead of a ceremonial opening in St Lucia on October 7, where Justice Anderson said he would speak in greater detail about the past year’s work and the court’s plans.
St Lucia will host the court’s itinerant sittings for the first time on October 7 and 8. It became the fifth CARICOM member state to accept the CCJ’s appellate jurisdiction in 2023. Previous itinerant sittings have been held in Barbados, Belize, Guyana and Jamaica.
Also speaking in the video, Hilary Wyke, Legal Officer in the President’s Chambers, said the institution had spent 21 years building a foundation of judicial independence, integrity, excellence and service.
She said its strategic plan, “Harnessing Growth, Deepening Caribbean Jurisprudence,” called for more accessible justice, better use of technology, stronger regional engagement and continued investment in judges and staff.
According to Wyke, the court recorded an increase in case filings over the last judicial year and delivered judgments that developed Caribbean law. She did not provide figures for the increase.
The court also received its first referral from a national court, translated a judgment into Dutch and introduced new ways of explaining its decisions to the public, she said.
“Our work on increasing accessibility and public engagement will continue with bolder and more modern ways of explaining the court’s judgments, showcasing our extrajudicial activities, and raising overall awareness of the court,” Wyke stated.
She said the St Lucia proceedings would allow litigants, attorneys, judicial officers and members of the public to observe appellate hearings and the delivery of judgments firsthand.
“That matters because the court should never feel distant from the people it serves,” she said.
The assurances follow the disclosure in August of internal correspondence revealing serious disagreements among judges over Justice Anderson’s administration of the court.
As reported by Kiskadee Watch, Trinidad’s Sunday Express published extracts from emails in which judges raised concerns about consultation, judicial panel assignments and the handling of cases. A dispute over a proposed judicial dress code widened into allegations concerning judicial independence and the court’s internal working environment.
The reported exchanges included concerns from Justices Peter Jamadar and Chile Eboe-Osuji about the handling of proceedings involving Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed and his father, Nazar Mohamed. These were allegations contained in the correspondence, rather than findings of an independent investigation.
Justice Anderson subsequently rejected allegations of panel manipulation and improper influence. He acknowledged removing Justice Eboe-Osuji from a panel hearing a preliminary application in the D’Almada matter following a disagreement over courtroom attire, but maintained that the decision had nothing to do with the judge’s opinions.
He also acknowledged that he might have handled the dress-code issue too forcefully, while defending his responsibility to maintain the court’s established practices.
The Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission had announced that it would undertake a transparent and independent review of the allegations.
Mohamed’s office called for Justice Anderson, who also chairs the Commission, to be excluded from every aspect of that process, including the selection of investigators and determination of its terms of reference.
The court subsequently revised its panel-assignment arrangements, requiring all judges to sit in every matter unless formally excused for a legitimate reason.
Kiskadee Watch reported that the opposition welcomed the change but maintained that it did not resolve questions concerning the earlier Mohamed proceedings. Justice Anderson said there had been complete unanimity among the seven judges on dismissing that appeal, although they differed on aspects of the reasoning.
On July 29, the court dismissed the Mohameds’ challenge to the Authority to Proceed issued in response to the United States’ extradition request and lifted a stay on the proceedings.
Justice Anderson also faced criticism over his private engagement with President Irfaan Ali and then Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton concerning substantive appointments to Guyana’s two highest judicial offices.
In his August response, he acknowledged that it would have been better to confine himself to public commentary, as his predecessors had done. He maintained that his involvement was motivated by concern for judicial independence and the constitutional integrity of Guyana’s judiciary.
Closing the opening-year message, Justice Anderson said the court’s efforts to deliver accessible and efficient justice, advance the rule of law and protect rights would demonstrate its continued commitment to the people of the region.
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