Historic sitting of Privy Council, Cayman Islands Judiciary to host

By Sherrica Thompson

Staff Writer

#CaymanIslands, October 29, 2022 – For the first time in history, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) will be sitting a case in an Overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

The Privy Council was invited to sit in the Cayman Islands by the Cayman Islands Judiciary and the Cayman Islands Government and will be on the island from November 15 -18.

The UK-based court is the highest court of appeal for several Commonwealth countries, British Overseas Territories, crown dependencies, and military sovereign base areas.

Chief Justice of the Cayman Islands, the Hon. Sir Anthony Smellie said the visit signifies the link that both countries share in the judicial system.

“The visit, therefore, signifies that the JCPC is an integral part of the Cayman Islands Justice System when it provides a final opportunity for judicial resolution of cases that may be appealed to it from the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal,”

He added: “So, the visit really symbolises the connectivity and links among all our courts right up to the final appellate court for the Cayman Islands – the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.”

Premier Wayne Panton said he eagerly awaits the Council’s first visit and sitting on the island.

“The Cayman Islands benefits tremendously from having the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as our highest court.  Across all areas of jurisprudence, including international financial services matters, it underpins confidence in our good governance. We eagerly look forward to welcoming the Privy Council on their first-ever visit and sitting in the Cayman Islands,” Panton said.

In addition to sitting in on court matters, the Justices will also be involved with education programmes taking part in an ‘Ask a Justice’ question-and-answer session and visiting the Truman Bodden Law School, Cayman Island’s only law school.