THE REGIONAL Judicial and Legal Services Commission which is responsible for recruiting judges for the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) is to announce later this month the applicant chosen as president of the CCJ.
Reports are that the choice is now between retired judge of Trinidad and Tobago Michael De Labastide and Sir Dennis Byron, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), down from five applicants.
There are speculations in legal circles that De Labastide will emerge the successful applicant.
The applicants were interviewed last week by the 10-member Commission.
Applications for judges to the CCJ, a position that pays US$120,000 tax free, are now being accepted, and will remain open until 3:30 p.m. on April 9.
TAX-FREE
The President of the CCJ will get a tax-free salary of US$144,000.
The CCJ which is to replace the United Kingdom Privy Council as the final appellate court is scheduled to begin its sittings in June this year.
In the meantime, the suits filed in the Supreme Court last month by Opposition Leader Edward Seaga, two human rights groups and the Farquharson Institute of Public Affairs, challenging the constitutionality of the CCJ has been set for hearing next month.
The claimants are contending that the bills establishing the CCJ will not afford the same constitutinal status or protection enjoyed by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal because it can be revoked by ordinary legislation.
They are seeking to have the bills declared null and void.
The Attorney-General who is named as the respondent will be applying to have the motions struck out on a preliminary point.
