BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Aug 2026, CMC – The heads of the judiciary of several Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries Tuesday said they have taken note of recent public reports regarding the administration and functioning of the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
In a joint statement, the heads of the judiciary of Barbados, The Bahamas, Belize, Guyana, The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago said that the CCJ “occupies a position of profound importance as a regional institution and within the regional judicial architecture”.
Their statement followed a report in the Trinidad and Tobago Sunday Express newspaper claiming that the CCJ President, Justice Winston Anderson, had been accused by a majority of his fellow judges of governing the regional court in an “authoritarian” and “dictatorial” manner
The newspaper said that the complaints range from unilaterally imposing a judicial dress code to allegations of “panel fixing” and attempts to influence the outcome of cases.
The judicial leaders whose countries subscribe to the Original and/or Appellate jurisdictions of the CCJ that was established on 16 April 2005, following the signing of its founding agreement on 14 February 2001, said the court is also vested with the power to adjudicate on matters involving the Revised Treaty of Chaguramas that governs the regional integration movement.
“Its authority, like that of all courts, rests upon public confidence in the independence, impartiality, integrity and competence of its judges,” they said, adding “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.
“However, we express grave concern about the breach of confidentiality which resulted in the disclosure of what appear to be internal communications.”
The heads of the judiciary say they “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 Heads of Judiciary 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,” they said in the statement.
In a statement to the Sunday Express newspaper, the CCJ said it “is mindful that questions and allegations presented without the benefit of context, background, or an appreciation of the nature of judicial deliberations, collegial discussions, and institutional governance may lend themselves to misunderstanding or mischaracterisation.
“For that reason, the Court wishes to reaffirm that the Judges of the Caribbean Court of Justice remain committed to the tenets of judicial conduct enshrined in the United Nations Bangalore Principles of Judicial Conduct—independence, impartiality, integrity, propriety, equality, competence, and diligence.
“Maintaining public confidence in the Court is fundamental to upholding the rule of law and preserving trust in the administration of justice. The Caribbean Court of Justice remains committed to providing accessible, fair and efficient justice for the people and states of the Caribbean Community.”
