On Friday, 10th January 2025, the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court will mark the
commencement of the New Law Year with its traditional Ceremonial Opening proceedings
under the theme “Accessibility and Awareness -The ECSC Bridging the Gap Through
Community Engagement”. This year, the host Member State is Saint Lucia, where the first
scheduled sitting for the Court of Appeal for 2025 will occur.
The Ceremonial Opening will commence with a church service at the Roseau Seventh-Day
Adventist Church, 6 Federation Drive, Roseau 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., followed by the
procession to the Court, where the formal Special Sitting of the Court will be held at 10:00
a.m at the Criminal Court Room at the Supreme Court building, Dame Eugenia Charles
Boulevard, Bay Front, Roseau, Commonwealth of Dominica. In Saint Lucia, the Church Service will be held at the Bethel Tabernacle, commencing at 8:15 a.m. This will be followed by the procession to the National Cultural Centre, which has been declared a court for the Special Sitting to mark the Opening of the Law Year, where the inspection of the Guard will be conducted, followed by the Special Sitting at 10:00 a.m.
Similar to the past four years, there will be one Special Sitting throughout the 9 Member States and Territories.
The Acting Chief Justice, His Lordship The Honourable Mr. Mario Michel, will deliver the feature address, appearing live from Saint Lucia along with the Attorney General of Saint Lucia the other speakers from the various Member States and Territories of the Eastern Caribbean will appear, and speak via the Zoom platform. The featured speaker on behalf of the Commonwealth of Dominica is the Chief Magistrate, Her Honour Mrs. Candia Carette-George.
The Special Sitting will be streamed live to the other Member States and Territories via the Saint Lucia Information Services media platforms and social media pages to the other Member States and Territories of the OECS. It will also be live-streamed via the Court’s Website and Facebook Page, the websites and social media pages of the Government Information Services in each Member State and Territory, and UWITV.
The public is encouraged to participate in the Ceremonial Opening of the Law Year 2025 by
attending the church service or the special sitting or watch and listen to the various media platforms.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies
Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The (ECSC) is a superior court of
record for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent
states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State.
