Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago -- From 20–24 January 2026, a high-level delegation from the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) concluded an official visit to the Republic of Suriname, following an invitation extended by the Honourable Mr Justice Iwan Rasoelbaks, President of the Court of Justice of Suriname.
As part of the visit, representatives of the Court including the Honourable Mr Justice Winston Anderson, President of the CCJ; the Honourable Mr Justice Peter Jamadar, CCJ Judge; Sir Dennis Byron, former CCJ President; and Gabrielle Figaro-Jones, Registrar and Chief Marshal engaged members of the Surinamese judiciary, parliamentarians, and other key stakeholders at the Congress on the Modernisation of the Judiciary, held at the Torarica Resort in Paramaribo on 22 January 2026. The presentations addressed the Court’s framework, operability, effectiveness, and institutional architecture, as well as the possibility of Suriname’s accession to the Appellate Jurisdiction of the CCJ.
In his address at the Congress, President Anderson noted that accession to the CCJ’s Appellate Jurisdiction would solidify Suriname’s status as a sovereign and independent nation, strengthen Community institutions and contribute the diversity and richness of regional jurisprudence. Suriname comes from a civil law tradition, unlike most other Caribbean Community Member States, which have a common law background. In his presentation, President Anderson outlined a proposal for the establishment of a specific Civil Law Chamber within the CCJ to hear appeals from Suriname.
It was explained that the Chamber would comprise suitably qualified judges, experienced in civil law jurisprudence. Additionally, proceedings would be conducted entirely in accordance with civil law traditions. Appeals would be managed under procedural rules drafted in Dutch, with all filings, evidence, and correspondence submitted in the Dutch language, reflecting the legal and linguistic context of Suriname.
?As part of the visit, the delegation also paid a courtesy call on Her Excellency Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, President of the Republic of Suriname. Discussions focused on the modernisation of Suriname’s judiciary and the CCJ’s role in supporting judicial reform and regional integration.
The Court looks forward to future engagement with Suriname as the State continues to work on the modernisation of their local judiciary, consistent with the Court’s mandate to advance access to justice, regional integration, and the rule of law within the Caribbean.
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