A pipe dream.
That’s how former President of the Court of Appeal, retired Justice Seymour Panton, has labelled talk of a local final court.
Justice Panton made his position clear during a Call to the Inner Bar ceremony at the Supreme Court in Kingston on Tuesday morning, declaring that the Caribbean Court of Justice, CCJ, should be Jamaica’s arbitrator.
Mahiri Stewart has that story.
One of the biggest topics that has risen from Jamaica’s push to become a republic is the decision of what should be the country’s final court of appeal.
Currently, the UK-based Privy Council is our final appellate court.
Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness has stated that he would like to see a local final court.
But Opposition Leader, Mark Golding believes Jamaica’s final court should be the Caribbean Court of Justice, CCJ.
Former President of the Court of Appeal, retired Justice Panton, says the idea of a local court is unrealistic.
Speaking at the Call to the Inner Bar ceremony at the Supreme Court in Kingston on Tuesday morning, he also rubbished the idea of the Privy Council remaining Jamaica’s final court.
Justice Panton urged members of the legal fraternity to advise the government that the CCJ is the correct choice for a final appellate court.
Three members of the legal fraternity were appointed King’s Counsel at the Call to the Inner Bar ceremony at the Supreme Court.
They are Director of Public Prosecutions, Claudette Thompson, Deputy Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Chambers, Lisa White and senior attorney Oswest Senior-Smith.
Justice Panton urged them to give the government good advice to do away with the privy Council.
