Caribbean News

JUDICIARY MOURNS THE PASSING OF FORMER COURT OF APPEAL PRESIDENT JUSTICE PAUL HARRISON

Published

3 years ago

February 9, 2021

KINGSTON, Jamaica, February 9, 2021 – The Judiciary of Jamaica is mourning the passing of former President of the Court of Appeal the Honourable Mr. Justice Paul Theodore Harrison, OJ, who died on Sunday, February 7, 2021.

Chief Justice the Honourable Mr. Justice Bryan Sykes, OJ, CD, said Justice Harrison’s skills as a trial judge, his judge craft and court management were unmatched.

“Justice Harrison by virtue of his integrity, both as a person and judge, contributed significantly in establishing the high reputation for independence of thought and rigour in judicial decision making that our Judiciary enjoys today,” Chief Justice Sykes said.

Meanwhile, President of the Court of Appeal the Honourable Mr. Justice Patrick Brooks, OJ, CD hailed Justice Harrison as an exemplar of correct judicial demeanour and a first-class jurist.

“Many of the judges of this court remember him making presentations at several judicial seminars, assisting younger colleagues and guiding magistrates and clerks of court in honing their craft. He did so in his smooth, unruffled manner, which was his trademark on and off the bench. Justice Harrison was always measured in his speech and even tempered and polite in his approach,” Justice Brooks said.

Justice Harrison began his outstanding career in the courts in the then Resident Magistrates’ Court as a temporary clerk in 1958. After qualifying for the Bar at Lincoln’s Inn in London, he returned to Jamaica and served as a Clerk of Courts. He served as a prosecutor in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for four years (1971–1975) before commencing, what turned out to be an illustrious career on the bench. He was a Resident Magistrate for ten years before being elevated to the Supreme Court as a Puisne Judge in 1985, where he served for twelve years. He was appointed as Judge of Appeal in 1997 and eight years later assumed the presidency (2005-2007) of the Court of Appeal. He retired after serving the people of Jamaica for forty nine (49) years.

Having spent a significant portion of his professional life in the field of criminal law, he showed great agility of mind, commitment to learning and steadfastness in purpose by developing into an outstanding judge in the civil law. As a trial judge, he was equally competent in presiding over criminal and civil trials. His summations were succinct without sacrificing precision, comprehensive without being verbose, eloquent without being pretentious. As he was in speech, so he was in prose. His many judgments in the Court of Appeal provided learning guidance at the time they were written and with the passage of time, their lights burn with ever increasing luminosity.

His service to the country did not end when he demitted the office of President. He was the commissioner for an enquiry into the fatal fire that occurred at the Armadale Juvenile Centre. His recommendations led to significant changes in the treatment of young people in conflict with the law. He was, for a time, a member of the local Privy Council that advises His Excellency the Governor General.

At the time of his untimely passing, Justice Harrison was presiding over a landmark case in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The COVID-19 pandemic forced him to remain at home and to preside over the case by videoconference. He was, therefore, with his family when he became suddenly ill and later died.

All who appeared before him will remember his calm, yet firm demeanour and his gentleness of spirit. The Judiciary of Jamaica mourns the loss of this outstanding Excelsior High School graduate who has left a lasting legacy in Jamaican and Commonwealth Caribbean jurisprudence.

The Judiciary extends its sincere condolences to Justice Paul Harrison’s family, his wife Doreen, his son Dirk and his daughter Paulette, and pray that they will be given the strength to bear their loss. May his family and friends find comfort in knowing that his was a life well lived.

Related Topics:#magneticmedianews #paultheodoreharrison

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Caribbean News

CARICOM pushes need for Reparations Tribunal at Forum in Geneva

Published

6 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer

Words are in circulation in support for the establishment of an international tribunal, geared towards seeking reparations for centuries long transatlantic slave trade, after a CARICOM official made calls at the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) in Geneva, Switzerland.

During day two of the gathering held from April 16 to 19, 2024, David Comissiong, Barbados Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, stated there is a need for the tribunal as there is currently no international court to deal with the issues of reparations.

Commision, like the other members that support his view, according to reports, are aware this won’t be an easy feat, as he expressed that establishing the tribunal would require a “positive decision” by the UN General Assembly, further calling on the officials at the Forum and the UN, to come together through international collaboration and “make this happen.”

The idea creation of the tribunal was born last year 2023, suggested by the PFPAD, now reiterated by Comissiong.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, in a video, addressing the opening of the forum, supported the ongoing calls for respiratory efforts, a sentiment not shared by many.

Mentioning that racism is still an issue in today’s society, Guterres said, “ now we must build on that momentum, to drive meaningful change by ensuring that people of African descent enjoy the full and equal realization of their human rights; by stepping up efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination, including through reparations.”

Caribbean News

CARICOM sends warning as Oil prices creep higher in the Israel v Iran conflict; 14 regional states import energy

Published

6 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

Garfield Ekon
Staff Writer

The recent attack on the Sate of Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has delivered growing uncertainty across the Caribbean region, and the rest of the global economy.

Chief among the many concerns, is the free flow of oil from the Middle East, which stands at 31% of daily production for the global economy. At minimum, shipping costs are likely to increase based on the increased risk of military action in the Persian Gulf.

Pressure is also building on US and European insurance clubs to avoid any transaction, including those with China, that involve Iranian crude and additional rerouting of oil and gas shipments in response to Houthi threats, or Allied responses.

According to the Caribbean Community Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), “these developments not only exacerbate the already tense situation but also pose significant threats to regional stability and international peace,” the group warned in a media statement.

It added that the continued cycle of retaliation, including the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel’s “disproportionate response” in Gaza, and the “alarming new dimension of direct confrontations between Israel and Iran, leads to an untenable situation fraught with potential for greater regional conflict and global instability.

“The human toll of this conflict, highlighted by tragic incidents such as deaths and injuries to children, demand an immediate and empathetic response from the global community. It is imperative that there be no further escalation that can lead to more suffering and instability,” it said.

While calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the regional body underscored that it strongly urges both nations to halt any further military actions that could worsen the situation, endangering not only their own populations but also the broader international community.

“We implore all parties to consider the severe consequences of further conflict and to commit to diplomatic solutions that ensure the safety, sovereignty, and dignity of all people involved,” the CARICOM statement said.

On October 6, 2023, the day before Hamas attacked Israel, the international benchmark Brent crude was trading at $85 per barrel and has been fluctuating at up to $96.

On Thursday, it traded at $91 per barrel. With the exception of gas-rich Trinidad and Tobago, the 14 other countries of CARICOM, are energy importers.

Approximately 93 percent of the region’s energy needs are met by oil imports, which average 13% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Caribbean News

Gov’t Committed to Seeking Reparations for Chattel Slavery – Minister Grange

Published

6 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Shanieka

KINGSTON, April 16 (JIS):

Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says the Jamaican Government remains committed to seeking reparations for the prolonged period of chattel enslavement endured by the African forefathers on the country’s plantations.

Minister Grange said that the historical events of the transatlantic slave trade continue to have a lasting impact on Black communities to this day.

She contended that the ongoing struggles to finance education and healthcare, address poverty and housing issues, respond to economic shocks and climate change impacts, and foster peaceful societies are all rooted in the historical legacy of enslavement.

Minister Grange was addressing a church service on Sunday (April 14) at the Webster Memorial United Church in St. Andrew, where an apology was issued on behalf of the United Reform Church (URC) in the United Kingdom (UK) by Moderator of the Assembly of the URC, Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson, for the church’s historical involvement in slavery.

“We, the general assembly of the United Reform Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, wish to confess and apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery and the scars which continue to blight our society, our church and the lives of Black people in our midst and around the globe today,” the apology read.

Minister Grange, in accepting the apology, urged UK churches, particularly those whose representatives were present for the historic apology in Jamaica, to communicate to their government the ethical imperative of admitting culpability through an apology and working with Jamaica to discern the potential avenues for reparations.

She said that the church’s role in the transatlantic slave trade has had significant and enduring effects on Black communities, impacting society, the church itself, and the lives of Black individuals worldwide.

“It is this complicity of the church that gave solace and comfort to the citizens and governments of UK and Europe as they endorsed and defended with their military project, that saw the capture, the torture, the dehumanisation, and devaluation of African people, legacies of which we experience today as racism, white supremacy, and discrimination,” she stated.

“We struggle to build peaceful, stable societies because of the perpetration of violence which was the platform on which enslavement was executed yet, in spite of this, we have been good converts to these same religions. Our people have adopted and adapted the doctrines and rituals of these new religions and in many instances have energised and revitalised them with cultural practices of African spirituality,” the Minister emphasised.

The URC is a community of Christians gathering in local churches across England, Scotland, and Wales, and is part of the global family of Reformed Churches, comprising more than 70 million Christians.

With approximately 42,000 members in around 1,200 congregations, supported by more than 600 ministers, the URC plays a significant role in the spiritual and communal life of its members and the broader community.

CONTACT: BRITNEY STEVENS