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Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Launches New Law Year with Focus on Innovation and Justice Reform
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) will mark the commencement of the New Law Year on Friday, January 12, with its traditional Ceremonial Opening proceedings under the theme “Innovation and Justice Reform” – The ECSC Looking to the Future. This year, the host Member State is Grenada, where the first scheduled sitting for the Court of Appeal for 2024 will occur.
The Ceremonial Opening will commence with a church service in most Member States and Territories, followed by the procession to the High Court, where the formal Special Sitting of the Court will be held. In the Territory of the Virgin Islands, the Church Service will be held at the Apostolic Faith Church, Road Town, Tortola, commencing at 8:00 a.m. This will be followed by the gathering moving to the Civil Court Room, 4th Floor, Sakal Building for the Special Sitting to mark the Opening of the Law Year. The Special Sitting will commence at 10:00 a.m.
Similar to the past three years, there will be one Special Sitting throughout the 9 Member States and Territories. The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Dame Janice M. Pereira, DBE, LL.D, will deliver the feature address, appearing live from the Court in Grenada along with the other speakers from the various Member States and Territories of the Eastern Caribbean.
The Special Sitting will be streamed live to the other Member States and Territories via the Grenada Information Services media platforms and social media pages to the other Member States and Territories of the OECS. It will also be live-streamed via the Court’s Website and Facebook Page, the websites and social media pages of the Government Information Services in each Member State and Territory and UWITV.
The public is encouraged to participate in the Ceremonial Opening of the Law Year 2024 by attending either the church service or the Special Sitting or by watching and listening on the various media platforms.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The (ECSC) is a superior court of record for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State.
To learn more about the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), please visit our website @ https://www.eccourts.org/ or call us at Tel: 758-457-3600.
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British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission Welcomes New Leadership
The British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission (BVIFSC) has announced new appointments to its governing board, with Mr. Gerard St Clair Farara KC stepping in as Chairman and Ms. Patlian Johnson as Commissioner. The appointments, confirmed by the Ministry of Financial Services, Labour, and Trade, mark a new chapter for the commission as it seeks to strengthen the territory’s financial services sector.
Mr. Gerard St Clair Farara KC has been appointed to a three-year term as Chairman, effective August 1, 2024. A seasoned legal expert with a distinguished career, Farara currently serves as a Commercial Court Judge for the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and leads the litigation team at the BVI office of COLLAS CRILL, formerly Farara Kerins. Farara’s prominence in the legal community is further highlighted by his appointment as Queen’s Counsel in 1996, cementing his standing as a leading figure in the Virgin Islands Bar and the broader Eastern Caribbean.
Ms. Patlian Johnson will serve a one-year term as Commissioner, also beginning on August 1, 2024. Johnson, a Strategy and Policy Advisor with extensive experience, currently holds the position of National Coordinator for the UNDP Project Office. She brings an impressive academic background, including a Master of Science in Economics and Finance from the University of Bristol and a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Accounting with First Class Honours from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.
The pair will replace outgoing Chairman Mr. Robin F. Gaul and Commissioner Mr. Melvin A. Turnbull, whose terms have concluded. Minister of Financial Services, Labour, and Trade, Honourable Lorna G. Smith, OBE (AL), praised the new appointments, stating, “I am delighted to welcome Mr. Farara and Ms. Johnson to the BVIFSC Board of Commissioners. Their combined expertise will be invaluable as we continue to navigate the challenges and opportunities facing the financial services sector.”
Smith also expressed gratitude to the departing board members for their significant contributions to the growth and stability of the territory’s financial services industry. According to the Government Information Service (GIS), these appointments underscore the Virgin Islands’ commitment to maintaining a well-regulated and competitive financial services sector.
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