I should write a series about plans that don’t work out according to plan but somehow turn out so much better than I could ever have planned!
Such is the case captured here where I had the privilege of presenting a copy of my first book, CARICOM: Good Offices, Good Neighbours, to the President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, the Honourable Mr. Justice Adrian Saunders.
With #CARICOM meetings taking place in Trinidad from 17 to 21 April, I was scheduled to serve as Interpreter but that did not materialise as the Haitian delegation did not attend.
How ironic then that I found myself dipping at the well of profound wisdom when Honourable Justice Saunders agreed to a courtesy call during which we chatted about CARICOM and its great institutions, among which the CCJ is a beacon of hope.
I underscore this because the Honourable President manages a heavy portfolio yet he made the time to meet with a simple CARICOM citizen who has a passion for Caribbean integration.
This is the mark of a Statesman, a Servant Leader and an authentic Thought Leader.
This is also the mark of a Mentor who will certainly leave a legacy of stewardship that others will endeavour to follow.
Equally enlightening was our discussion around Caribbean identity and my pointed question: why do some CARICOM Member States still maintain the Privy Council of England as their final Court of Appeal?
Did you know that out of 12 CARICOM Member States which agreed to establish the CCJ only five of these have opted to make the CCJ their final Court of Appeal in civil and criminal matters?
They are: Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana and finally St. Lucia, which has begun the process of accession.
It is indeed bewildering to me that my homeland, #trinidadandtobago, which hosts the offices of the CCJ still refers to the Privy Council of England as our final Court of Appeal ⚖
I encourage you to learn more by visiting the CCJ’s website (www.ccj.org) or visiting their library located on Henry Street in Port-of-Spain. Book your tour at: info@ccj.org
I am grateful to Dike Noel for his kind facilitation of this memorable moment 🙂
📸 courtesy Dike Noel, Chief Public Education & Protocol Officer, CCJ
#caribbeanlife #caribbeanconnection #caribbean #justiceforall #justicesystem #courtofappeal #caricom #leadership #leadershipmatters #servantleadership #diplomacy #internationalrelations #caricomstates #internationalaffairs
