After two weeks of heavy back and forth between the opposition and government the Caribbean Court of Justice bill and the 5th, amendment to the constitution went to the National Assembly today. The debate went on for 5 hours across the house floor, and when the dust settled at 5:30 p.m., as predicted the Caribbean Court of Justice Bill was carried by the 21 government members and opposed by the 8 opposition members.
That's the Caribbean Court of Justice, but the government did not present the 5th constitutional Amendment bill to de-link from the Privy Council because that needs opposition support and as has been made clear, the opposition does not support it. So, as it stands the Caribbean Court of Justice will be enacted as a court with jurisdiction strictly over intra-CARICOM affairs, particularly trade disputes and the privy council remains in place as the court of last resort.