From left, Whiteman, Chuck and Nicholson
Robert Hart, Staff Reporter
REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS have postponed this weekend's scheduled inauguration of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) in the wake of the recent Privy Council ruling against Jamaica's controversial establishment of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
Information Minister Senator Burchell Whiteman told journalists yesterday that, with the effects of the ruling still being examined by Jamaica and other Carib-bean countries, the decision was taken to push back the commencement ceremony to some time later this year.
MORE COUNTRIES WILL BE READY TO SIGN
"By this time, we should have not only these matters behind us, but also ... more of the countries who are participating in the CSME will be ready to sign," the information minister said during yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House.
Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados were scheduled to sign on to the CSME during a ceremony in Guyana this coming Saturday, February 19.
The commencement of the CSME had earlier been postponed from a January 5 start-up date. However, the date was first pushed back to February in order to coincide with the opening of the new CARICOM Secretariat headquarters in Guyana.
It was intended that the first three nations would sign on, and the other 12 CARICOM member-states would officially join at a later date, after completing the necessary processes required to enter the single economic space.
PRIVY COUNCIL RULING
However, with the Privy Council ruling against the Jamaican Government just under two weeks ago, questions have been raised in relation to the way forward in the regional establishment of the CCJ.
The court in its original jurisdiction, is proposed to settle disputes between states within the CSME and is therefore key to the implementation process. It is also proposed to replace the Privy Council as the final appellate court for member states.
Yesterday, Senator Whiteman disclosed that Senator A.J. Nicholson, the minister of justice, is scheduled to meet tomorrow with Delroy Chuck, the Opposition spokesman on justice, to organise conciliatory discussions on the establishment of the CCJ in its appellate jurisdiction.
"Shortly thereafter, we expect the dialogue between the two teams to begin," Senator Whiteman said.
The government has already set up a team, led by Senator Nicholson, to seek consensus with an Opposition team on the manner in which the CCJ will be established.
Since the Privy Council ruling, the Opposition has stated that it will not give its required support to the establishment of the CCJ without the considered views of the public through an indicative referendum.
