Latest update September 11th, 2026 10:26 AM
Caribbean judiciaries rally behind CCJ as internal row erupts
…say public confidence in regional court must be protected
(Kaieteur News) – Heads of Judiciary from across the Caribbean have issued a joint statement rallying behind the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) amid an escalating internal crisis, even as they voiced grave concern over leaked confidential correspondence that exposed deep divisions among the court’s judges.
The statement, issued by the heads of the judiciary of Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, comes days after leaked internal emails revealed that five of the CCJ’s six sitting judges accused president Justice Winston Anderson of “dictatorial” leadership, panel manipulation and attempts to influence the outcome of judicial deliberations.
In their statement, the regional judiciary heads stressed that the CCJ “occupies a position of profound importance as a regional institution and within the regional judicial architecture,” noting that it serves as the final court of appeal for states that have acceded to its appellate jurisdiction, and as the court of original jurisdiction for matters arising under the revised Treaty of Chaguaramas for most CARICOM states.
They underscored that the court’s authority “rests upon public confidence in the independence, impartiality, integrity and competence of its judges.”
Notably, the judiciary heads stopped short of weighing in on the substance of the allegations. “We do not consider it appropriate to comment upon the merits of statements or allegations attributed to individual judges, nor upon matters arising within the internal deliberative or administrative processes of the court,” the statement read.
Instead, the group directed its sharpest language at the breach that led to the disclosures, saying that they “express grave concern about the breach of confidentiality which resulted in the disclosure of what appear to be internal communications.”
Despite the turmoil, the judiciary heads affirmed continued confidence in the institution. “We remain confident in the Caribbean Court of Justice as a vital regional judicial institution and in the commitment of its judges to the principles which underpin the administration of justice throughout the Caribbean,” the statement said.
The group closed by reaffirming a broader commitment to judicial independence across the region, declaring that they “reaffirm their commitment to the independence of all regional judiciaries, the institutional integrity of the Caribbean Court of Justice, and the enduring importance of maintaining public trust and confidence in the courts of the region.”
The leaked correspondence, first reported by the Trinidad Express, showed Justices Chile Eboe-Osuji, Chantal Ononaiwu, Arif Bulkan, Maureen Rajnauth-Lee and Peter Jamadar directly challenging Justice Anderson’s administration of the court. Justice Jamadar reportedly described a “toxic” environment and an unprecedented attempt to sway colleagues’ opinions during deliberations on the extradition matter involving Guyana’s Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed. Justice Eboe-Osuji went further, alleging he had never seen such a level of “dictatorship” in the administration of a judiciary.
The revelations have drawn sharp reaction in Guyana, where opposition figures — including the Office of the Leader of the Opposition, APNU’s Parliamentary Lead Terrence Campbell and Sherod Duncan and WPA Co-Leader Dr. David Hinds — have called for clarity on whether the internal dysfunction affected the outcome of politically sensitive cases before the court.
The CCJ itself has previously responded to the allegations, saying its judges are guided by the United Nations Bangalore Principles of Judicial conduct and reaffirming its commitment to independence, integrity, and public confidence in the administration of justice.
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