Georgetown: His Lordship, the Hon. Justice Adrian Saunders has been appointed the third President of the Caribbean Court of Justice. The announcement was made Saturday by the outgoing President Sir Denis Byron at the conclusion of the moot for students of the three law schools, the Noman Manley, Hugh Wooding and Eugene Dupuch Law Schools.
Justice Saunders has been serving the CCJ as a judge from the inception of the regional court in April 2006. He was acting Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) when he elevated to the final court. Previously he was a High Court Judge for seven years before being promoted as an appellate court judge in the ECSC.
The 64-year-old judge is of a quiet disposition with an enormous appetite for research. He is also a dedicated jurist. He did a tremendous job in training magistrates, judges and judicial officers. He was actively involved and worked along with Sir Denis in implementing the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR). During the past decade Justice Saunders was engaged in seminars and discussions on the importance of judicial independence and the important role the regional court can play for a Caribbean jurisprudence.
The new Vincentian President replaces Kittian Sir Denis Byron who took over from Trinidadian Michael de La Bastide. Although the CCJ was inaugurated 12 years ago only four countries, Guyana, Barbados, Belize and Dominica have accepted the Court as the final Appellate Court. The CCJ however serves all Caricom member states in interpreting the Treaty of Chaguarams.
Justice Saunders is married and has two grown sons. He was actively involved in sports and served as President of the St. Vincent Table Tennis Association He was also engaged in regional table tennis tournaments.
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