TT to relinquish Privy Council; CCJ to become final Court of Appeal

Port-of-spain: Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has announced her government's intention to cut ties with the London-based Privy Council for criminal appeal matters.

She told the  Parliament this afternoon that legislation will be brought to the Lower House soon to make the Caribbean Court of Justice the final Court of Appeal for criminal matters.

For many it is a move long overdue but in the this country's 50th year of Independence, the prime minister says the time is now right for Trinidad and Tobago to strenghten its democracy by taking the final leap of cutting all colonial ties for good.

The prime minister made no mention of civil appeals as she made the announcement.

She said a special majority vote of Parliament will be needed for Trinidad and Tobago to replace the Privy Council with the CCJ which has its headquarters in Port-of-Spain.

If successful Trinidad and Tobago will join Belize, Barabdos and Guyana to replace the British Law Lords in london.

The prime minister said the government will monitor the quality of deicisons of the CCJ.