Trinidadian jurist to become latest CCJ judge

PORT OF Spain, Trinidad (CMC) — The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Friday announced that Trinidadian jurist, Peter Jamadar, will become the latest judge of the regional court.

In a statement, the CCJ, which was established in 2001 to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final court, said that Justice Jamadar, a judge of the Court of Appeal in Trinidad, will replace Justice David Hayton, who retires from IT in July this year.

The appointment was made by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC), whose chairman, Justice Adrian Saunders, who is also the president of the CCJ, noted that The Court, which also functions as a regional tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration movement, “continues to attract some of the most qualified and talented jurists.

“Justice Jamadar has developed a well-earned reputation throughout the Caribbean and the Commonwealth for his well-reasoned judgements and his outstanding work as a judicial educator. His exemplary leadership of the Judicial Education Institute of Trinidad and Tobago (JEITT) has contributed significantly to the success of that body which has recently developed and rolled out a Gender Protocol for the Judiciary of Trinidad and Tobago. Mr Justice Jamadar will undoubtedly be a welcome addition to our Bench,” the CCJ president added.

The RJLSC said it had advertised for the position in 2018 and received 18 submissions from applicants in the region, Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America.

Last September, eight applicants were interviewed, subjected to background investigations and a rigorous selection process.

It said that from that process, Justice Andrew Burgess, who was sworn-in recently and Justice Jamadar were selected.

Justice Jamadar, who was admitted to the Bar of Trinidad and Tobago in 1984, is also a certified transpersonal psychologist and a certified mediator. He is the current vice-chairman of the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO) and also serves on the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute (CJEI) as the vice-president of Programming and a Faculty member.

Justice Jamadar, who has written two books, is also the chair of the Trinidad and Tobago Judicial Education Institute JEITT.