THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE RECENT ruling by the U.K.-based Privy Council on the constitutionality of the CCJ is a landmark decision. We in Jamaica, instead of criticising the ruling should be rejoicing. It once again vindicates the position held by many, including me. But this once again raises the more fundamental point: the Government, with all of its lawyers, could not see that what they were doing was not compatible with the Constitution, and even more seriously, the Jamaican courts could not see that either.
But I ask this, what is the motive for rushing to disassociate from the Privy Council? Is it because the governments of the Caribbean, on a whole, cannot influence the decisions of the Privy Council? And the latter looks more so if the allegation that the governments of the Caribbean tried to influence the judges, in the hope of getting the go ahead signal.
Indeed, I would ask again, what sense is there in the government position of severing ties with the Privy Council? You have a court that has served us well for over half a century, and in the meantime you will have to borrow money to put into motion your court, what sense is in that?
This government is cash-strapped, but yet they can borrow money for some court that we are not in need of. The money would have been better spent in improving the quality of our court system that is in a deplorable condition, to say the least. Fix our local courts before you start with this nonsense about Caribbean Court of Justice.
I am, etc.,
FABIAN LEWIS
blackapeen@yahoo.com
