CCJ Academy for Law

Hague Conference on Private International Law
2024-10-02 - 2024-10-04
The HCCH (Hague Conference on Private International Law – Conférence de La Haye de droit international privé) is an intergovernmental organisation established for “the progressive unification of the rules of private international law”. Activities taking place across different borders require a high degree of legal certainty and predictability to thrive. The HCCH encourages the adoption of treaties that facilitate such certainty and
predictability both in relation to family law and commercial law matters. The HCCH is composed of 91 Members – 90 States and the European Union – representing all regions of the globe.
The HCCH has collaborated on several activities with the CCJ Academy for Law in the past and has offered the opportunity for further collaboration during 2024. The Conference has indicated its plans to a Caribbean Meeting on International Child Protection that was mentioned a year or two ago. The Conference reports that the Office of the Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed the meeting and that preparations have started. The dates have now been set for 2-4 October 2024, and the HCCH has asked the Academy to offer its views on what kind of participation/role the Academy might be interested to in playing in the event which will be focused on the HCCH Child Protection Conventions (1980 Child Abduction, 1993 Intercountry Adoption; 1996 International Child Protection and 2007 Recovery of Child Support).

Belize Conference on Criminal Justice Reform
2024-09-02 - 2024-09-06
The Judicial Education Institute of the Senior Court of Belize intends to convene a Conference on Criminal Justice from 2-6 September 2024, in Belize City, Belize. The Conference is to be funded by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) PACE Justice Project. The major focus of the conference is stated to be: “the reduction of the backlog in criminal matters, Needham’s Point Declaration on Criminal Justice Reform, the UNDP Needs Assessment Report, and the Senior Court of Belize Strategic Plan. Training will be provided to Judges, Magistrates, Registrars, Prosecutors and Defence Counsel during the Conference”. The chairman of the CCJ Academy for Law, Hon Mr Justice Winston Anderson, has been invited to give the feature address on Implementation of the Needham’s Point Declaration.

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Annual Judicial Conference
2024-08-05 - 2024-08-07
The Judicial Education Institute, (JEI) the training arm of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, (ECSC) will be hosting its signature event the Annual Judicial Conference (AJC) from 5th to 7th August in St. Lucia. The Annual Judicial Conference aims to broaden, sharpen, and further enhance the skills of its judicial officers through continuous training in pertinent areas which impact the Court’s work and the lives of citizens of the Eastern Caribbean. Past focus areas have been sentencing guidelines, the many roles of the CPR, criminal case management, among others. This year, the focus areas are Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, and Judgement Writing. The Hon. Mr. Justice Anderson has been invited to present on Judicial Review and the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, on the 6th of August in the morning session.

Guyana Conference on Criminal Justice Reform
2024-07-10 - 2024-07-11 | Marriot Hotel, Georgetown, Guyana
By letter (emailed) dated 10 January 2024, the Attorney General’s Chambers & Ministry of Legal Affairs sought to confirmation that it will, in collaboration with the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Academy for Law, host a law conference in Georgetown, Guyana on or before August 2024. This conference will be part of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Support for the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) project currently being executed by the Attorney General’s Chambers & Ministry of Legal Affairs.
A steering committee has been established to plan, organise and execute this initiative. The Attorney General nominated Ms. Indira Anandjit, Project Coordinator, SCJS and Ms. Deborah Kumar, Deputy Solicitor General, as members of this proposed committee. These persons will seek a nominee from the local Judiciary as well as one from the local practicing Bar. The Academy Chairman nominated Justice of Appeal Alice Yorke Soo Hun (since appointed President of the Court of Appeal of Turks and Caicos) and Mr John Coombs, judicial counsel as his nominees to sit on the Committee.
The Committee has met twice (16 February and 1 March 2024) and has advanced plans for the Conference. Specifically, it was Agreed that the Conference will seek to advance the implementation of the Needham’s Point Declaration on Criminal Justice Reform.
Justice Soo Hun was identified as central to the planning of the agenda for the Conference. The date of the Conference was set for 10-11 July 2024.
Planning continues for the effective convening of the Conference.

First Caribbean Strategic Focal Point Meeting of El PACCTO 2.0
2024-07-09 08:00 - 2024-07-11 17:00 (America/Barbados) | Barbados
The Strategic Focal Point Meeting will be attended by the justice and security Focal Points designated by the Caribbean institutions to the EL PACCTO 2.0 Programme, as well as the Focal Points of the Caribbean regional institutions such as CCJ, CARICOM IMPACS, RSS, ECSC, and other relevant Caribbean and European actors.

Video Production for Legendary Caribbean Legal Practitioners
2024-07-04
CAL intends to commission a video production of Legendary Caribbean Legal Practitioners (LCLP), the third instalment of its Eminent Caribbean Jurists series. Building upon the success of its predecessors, LCLP video will showcase the remarkable achievements of notable legal practitioners using as companion the comprehensive book of the same title featuring detailed profiles of its honorees. Following the positive reception of accompanying videos in 2022, the production of a video in 2024 will further enrich the audience experience. CAL is contemplating the use of the services of Visual Art Production obtained through sole sourcing. Visual Art and Production Ltd is based in Trinidad and Tobago and was the firm commissioned for the production of the series of videos featuring CAL’s celebration of Pioneering Caribbean Women Jurists. In a proposal dated 22 March 2024, Visual Art and Production Ltd has made extensive recommendations for the production of the video (based on baseline inputs from the CAL). The video is scheduled to be aired on July 4th, 2024, coinciding with Caricom Day. To meet this timeline, CAL anticipates completion of production by the end of June.
