Jamaica should leave Privy Council

THE EDITOR, Madam:

ONCE AGAIN, t he Eastern Caribbean has led the way in delinking from colonisation with the recent ascension of St Lucia to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), its parliament having voted to leave the Privy Council. This follows on Barbados completing its decolonisation in 2020 by removing and replacing the British monarch with an indigenous head of state.

Like the four countries that have successfully acceded to the CCJ’s final appellate jurisdiction, there will be no fallout for St Lucia. In fact, its citizens will have greater access to quality justice and will play a significant role in building Caribbean jurisprudence.

Sadly, the current Jamaica Labour Party-led Government in Jamaica is unable to congratulate St Lucia on this important move. This Jamaican Government has decided to stand between Jamaicans and access to justice at the highest level. To date, neither the prime minister nor the Minister of Legal and Constitutional Affairs can outline to the Jamaican people their reluctance to use the appellate jurisdiction of the CCJ. All the previous arguments raised were addressed in the forming of the court; and since the court was formed, none of the alleged concerns have borne any fruit.

It is implausible that a government that declares its commitment to completing the cycle of Independence, is equally uncommitted to see the country it leads delink in perhaps the most important aspect of colonial imperialism – justice.

The PNPYO would like to congratulates the people and government of St Lucia for this bold and important step towards full decolonisation. At the same time, we call on the Government of Jamaica to use this process of constitutional reform wisely, and, in the shortest possible time, table legislation that will replace the Privy Council with the CCJ.

PEOPLE’S NATIONAL PARTY YOUTH ORGANISATION