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On Tuesday, 29 October 2024, the Honourable Mme Justice Chantal Ononaiwu was sworn in as a Choose of the Caribbean Court docket of Justice (CCJ), turning into the second Jamaican nationwide to affix the Bench of the regional Court docket.
The swearing-in ceremony was carried out by the Governor Basic of Jamaica, His Excellency the Most Honourable Sir Patrick Allen, at King’s Home, Kingston, Jamaica.
In his remarks in the course of the ceremony, the Honourable Mr Justice Adrian Saunders, CCJ President, famous that “Article IV(1) of the Settlement Establishing the Court docket requires that when the Court docket… not less than three [judges] should possess experience in worldwide legislation together with worldwide commerce legislation. Mme Justice Ononaiwu isn’t merely an professional in worldwide legislation, she is extra particularly an professional in worldwide commerce legislation and an energetic practitioner within the area. She has appeared as counsel earlier than the CCJ in most of the Court docket’s seminal circumstances coping with the CSME. She has expertise in adjudicating WTO worldwide commerce disputes. The job she beforehand held concerned negotiating worldwide commerce points on behalf of the Caribbean Group. Certainly, she led the coordination of CARICOM’s exterior commerce coverage. Caricom’s undoubted large loss is the CCJ’s acquire, however I enterprise to counsel that the area would profit much more enormously from her tenure on the Court docket.”
Mme Justice Ononaiwu was chosen from a pool of 12 candidates by the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC), an impartial physique of 11 people answerable for appointing the Judges and workers of the Court docket.
Candidates will need to have both served as a decide for not less than 5 years or have a minimal of 15 years of expertise within the observe or instructing of legislation.
Moreover, candidates are evaluated on standards together with excessive ethical character, mental and analytical skills, sound judgment, integrity, and an understanding of individuals and society.
With over 20 years of authorized expertise, Mme Justice Ononaiwu brings specialist experience in Caribbean Group (CARICOM) legislation and worldwide legislation, together with worldwide commerce legislation.
Her different authorized background consists of roles as an adjudicator, litigator, authorized advisor, and college lecturer.
Mme Justice Ononaiwu additionally has important experience in business legislation, having labored within the worldwide enterprise and monetary providers sector because the Director of Worth Proposition Improvement at Make investments Barbados.
Moreover, she served as Vice-Chair of the Worldwide Chamber of Commerce Digital Requirements Initiative Authorized Reform Advisory Board.
She has additionally lectured on worldwide commerce and funding legislation, public worldwide legislation, and legal legislation at The College of the West Indies.
Previous to her appointment to the CCJ, she served as Director of Exterior Commerce on the CARICOM Secretariat and beforehand as a Commerce Coverage and Authorized Specialist.
In her remarks, Mme Justice Ononaiwu acknowledged: “I’m honoured to function a Choose of the area’s highest court docket. Our Caribbean Court docket of Justice performs a pivotal position in advancing the rule of legislation in CARICOM and constructing Caribbean jurisprudence. I’ll work assiduously with my colleagues in service of the Court docket’s mission to offer accessible, truthful and environment friendly justice for the folks and States of the Group.
Mme Justice Ononaiwu’s appointment fills the emptiness left by Mr Justice Jacob Wit, one of many first judges appointed to the Court docket, who retired in December 2023 and handed away in January 2024.
The RJLSC will, sooner or later, announce the appointment of one other Choose and the Court docket’s fourth President, who will succeed Mr Justice Andrew Burgess and Mr Justice Saunders, respectively, upon their retirements in 2025.
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