Prominent international jurist to head CCJ

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad (CMC):

Prominent international jurist Sir Dennis Byron will head the Trinidad-based Carib-bean Court of Justice (CCJ), replacing Michael De la Bastide who goes on retirement in August.

De la Bastide, who headed the CCJ since it was established in 2001 as a replacement for the London-based Privy Council as the region's final court, is due to retire on August 18.

But while most of the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries are signatories to the Original jurisdiction of the CCJ that also serves as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration movement, only Barbados, Belize and Guyana are members of the Appellate jurisdiction.