Birds disagrees with Cort; says CCJ ruling is binding By Martina Johnson - Tuesday, October 15th, 2013. Article Hits: 6 No Comments ST JOHN’S, Antigua – Former Prime Minister Lester Bird said he strongly disagrees with the assertion that the Caribbean Court of Justice’s (CCJ) landmark ruling on immigration practices across the Caribbean Community (Caricom) is not applicable to Antigua & Barbuda. Bird was responding to remarks made by Minister of National Security Dr Errol Cort, who on Sunday said the CCJ ruling is not binding on the twin-island nation due to a reservation granted at 2007 Caricom heads of Government meeting at which time other member states committed to unfettered free movement. In an interview with OBSERVER media yesterday Bird said, “I have noted the incorrect and implausible interpretation lent by Minister Dr Errol Cort to the Shanique Myrie decision rendered recently by the CCJ. “The automatic six months stay applies to Antigua & Barbuda as it does everyone else. The derogation does not have the effect of preventing the freedom of movement of Caricom nationals into Antigua & Barbuda,” Bird said. The debate over the matter relates to the ruling of the CCJ which says unless a person is a threat to the state or a charge on public funds, all Caricom nationals are entitled to an automatic stay of six months upon arrival in any member state. The CCJ’s decision gave judicial acknowledgment and authority to the 2007 decision, which said the aforementioned should be the standard practice in member states. Antigua & Barbuda obtained an exemption to that rule for an indefinite period. The CCJ made no pronouncement on the arrangement the country obtained but indicated Barbados could not use the Antigua & Barbuda reservation to defend its March 14, 2011 decision to deny entry to Jamaican Shanique Myrie. Myrie, who successfully sued the Barbados government, was subjected to two cavity searches, detained in an airport holding cell and deported the next day.
Posted on: Tue, 15 Oct 2013 10:25:52 +0000
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