Page 16 - The Caribbean Examiner 1-2020

THE CARIBBEAN EXAMINER

NEWS

The Caribbean Administrative Tribunal

(CCAT) launched at CXC® HQ

Appointed Judges: Mr Patterson K.H. Cheltenham, QC, President of the Tribunal (right). Left to right: Mr J. Emile Ferdinand, QC; Ms Dancia Penn, OBE, QC; Ms. Lisa M. Shoman, SC; and Mr Westmin R.A. James

The Caribbean Administrative Tribunal (CCAT) was launched on
Monday 17 February 2020, at a ceremony at the The Caribbean
Examinations Council® (CXC®) Headquarters in Barbados.

CARICOM Heads of Government will be able to appeal to the CCAT for and analytical ability, sound judgment and
approved the establishment of the Tribunal at settlement. integrity and must:
their 30 Inter-Sessional Meeting in St. Kitts The CCAT is bound by principles of • have held, hold or be qualified to hold
th
and Nevis in February 2019. The CCAT is an due process of law and its decisions are high judicial office in a CARICOM State;
impartial and independent judicial body that to be consistent with the principles of or
will provide staff members of the CARICOM fundamental human rights and in accordance • be jurisconsults of recognised
Secretariat and Regional Institutions, subject with international administrative law. In competence with experience as such
to the CCAT’s jurisdiction, with a forum for exceptional cases, judgments of CCAT can for a period of not less than ten years;
the final settlement of employment disputes. be appealed further to a Review Committee or
The Community and its Institutions, as made up of five judges of the Caribbean • be jurisconsults of recognised
international organisations, enjoy immunity Court of Justice (CCJ) after leave is granted competence with particular experience
from lawsuits brought in national courts. by the Review Committee. in the field of labour relations for a
Previously, staff members were without The Tribunal consist of five Members period of not less than ten years.
recourse to an appropriate and effective who are appointed for a four-year term by The five members: Mr Patterson
judicial mechanism that could determine the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Cheltenham, QC, President of the Tribunal;
the legality of decisions with respect to Commission (RJLSC), with consideration Ms. Lisa M. Shoman, SC; Mr Westmin
an employment-related dispute. After given to an equitable geographical James; Ms Dancia Penn, QC and Mr J.
exhausting the internal dispute resolution distribution and an appropriate gender Emile Ferdinand, QC. were sworn in by the
mechanisms of their organisations, staff balance. The Members are required to President of the CCJ, the Hon. Mr Justice
members still aggrieved by the outcome, be of high moral character, intellectual Adrian Saunders. (SOURCE: CARICOM.ORG)

16 VOLUME 19 • ISSUE NO. 1 • 2020 www.cxc.org