At yesterday's media workshop on the Caribbean Court of Justice, former Attorney-General David Coore, one of the presenters, makes a point to moderator Desmond Allen (centre). At Mr. Allen's left is the current Attorney-General A.J. Nicholson, the workshop's other presenter. - Junior Dowie THE PROPOSED Caribbean Court of Justice is projected to cost US$20 million for its first five years of operation.
The cost burden of the controversial court was revealed by Attorney-General A.J. Nicholson who was speaking at a media workshop on the issue yesterday. Mr. Nicholson said the cost was to be shared equally by all the parties who sign the agreement.
The media workshop precedes a three-week debate in the Senate which is scheduled to start tomorrow.
Former Attorney-General David Coore, in answering calls for a referendum on the issue, reiterated the Government's position that there was no constitutional requirement for one. He also expressed the view that it might be a better option to first try the court for a short period and then stage a referendum on whether it should be entrenched in the constitution.
He pointed to the 1961 referendum on the West Indies Federation as an example. Aspects of the proposed federation had been tried by the time people in the region were asked to decide on whether to keep it, he told the workshop.
He added that a referendum at this time would be likely to get "politically muddied," clouding the issue of the merits or drawbacks of the court.
