On Tuesday, Justice Chantal Ononaiwu was sworn in as a Choose of the Caribbean Court docket of Justice (CCJ), changing into the second Jamaican nationwide to affix the Bench of the regional Court docket. The swearing-in ceremony was carried out by the Governor Normal of Jamaica, Sir Patrick Allen, at King’s Home, Kingston, Jamaica.
In his remarks in the course of the ceremony, Justice Adrian Saunders, CCJ President, famous that “Article IV(1) of the Settlement Establishing the Court docket requires that when the Court docket… at the least three [judges] should possess experience in worldwide regulation together with worldwide commerce regulation.
Justice Ononaiwu just isn’t merely an professional in worldwide regulation, she is extra particularly an professional in worldwide commerce regulation 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 huge loss is the CCJ’s acquire, however I enterprise to recommend that the area would profit much more enormously from her tenure on the Court docket.”
Justice Ononaiwu was chosen from a pool of 12 candidates by the Regional Judicial and Authorized Companies Fee (RJLSC), an unbiased physique of 11 people accountable for appointing the Judges and workers of the Court docket. Candidates should have both served as a decide for at the least 5 years or have a minimal of 15 years of expertise within the apply or instructing of regulation. 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, Justice Ononaiwu brings specialist experience in Caribbean Group (CARICOM) regulation and worldwide regulation, together with worldwide commerce regulation. Her assorted authorized background consists of roles as an adjudicator, litigator, authorized advisor, and college lecturer. Mme Justice Ononaiwu additionally has important experience in business regulation, having labored within the worldwide enterprise and monetary companies sector because the Director of Worth Proposition Growth 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 regulation, public worldwide regulation, and prison regulation 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, Justice Ononaiwu said: “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 regulation in CARICOM and constructing Caribbean jurisprudence. I’ll work assiduously with my colleagues in service of the Court docket’s mission to supply accessible, truthful and environment friendly justice for the folks and States of the Group.
Justice Ononaiwu’s appointment fills the emptiness left by 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.
