The Canadian Government funded Improved Access to Justice in the Caribbean (IMPACT Justice) Project, in association with the Judicial Education Institute of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court will host a consultation on a Model Criminal Code for OECS Member States and Bail, Evidence and Jury legislation in the Caricom region.
The meeting will be held from 5-6 February 2018 in the St Andrew’s Room of the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort.
The discussion of a harmonised Criminal Code is of special importance for the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) because the current situation is that in each of the Member States and Overseas Territories served by the court, differences in the language creating offences make it difficult for judges, who move between the OECS from time to time, to efficiently deliver justice. It is expected that the discussions will lead to the creation of a harmonised Model Criminal Code with accompanying and similarly harmonised criminal law legislation for the consideration of governments within the OECS.
Participants who will be involved in the consultations include Her Ladyship, The Honourable Dame Janice M Pereira, DBE, Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Justices of Appeal and High Court Judges of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Magistrates, Directors of Public Prosecution and criminal defence attorneys from around the OECS.
At the opening ceremony for these consultations, remarks will be delivered by Her Ladyship, The Honourable Dame Janice M Pereira, DBE, and Professor Velma Newton, Regional Project Director of the IMPACT Justice Project. The Honourable Sir Lawrence Joseph, Attorney General of Grenada has also been invited to deliver remarks.
On 6 February, there will also be a closing ceremony at which Her Excellency Marie Legault, High Commissioner of Canada to Barbados and the OECS, the Honourable Madam Justice Paula Gilford and Professor Newton will deliver remarks. The closing ceremony will also be attended by the Attorney General of Grenada.
