PORT OF SPAIN,Trinidad, April 7, CMC-The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) will hear final submissions in the Shanique Myrie case when the court sits at its headquarters in Port of Spain on Monday and Tuesday.
The Trinidad-based CCJ will hear testimony in the case brought by Myrie, 25, who alleged that when she traveled to Barbados on March 14, 2011 she was discriminated against because of her nationality, subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day.
Myrie wants the CCJ to determine , under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas the minimum standard of treatment applicable to Caribbean Community (Caricom) citizens moving within the region.
She asserted that the treatment she received at the hands of the Barbadian officials ran contrary to her entitlements provided under the treaty and obtained permission from the Government of Jamaica to approach the CCJ directly on the matter.
Myrie, through her attorneys informed the Court that she could not afford to bring her witnesses to the seat of the court in Port of Spain for the hearing and as a result was unable to adequately present her case .
The CCJ explored the use of videoconferencing technology to take the evidence of the witnesses but after consulting with attorneys it was decided that the evidence should be given in person . This resulted in the court sitting in Jamaica.
The historic sitting commenced in Jamaica in March to hear evidence from witnesses there. The Court then moved to Barbados to hear the evidence of the witnesses of the Defendant.
The CCJ, under its Original Jurisdiction, has compulsory and exclusive competence to interpret and apply the RTC, as in this instance, by hearing and deciding disputes between Caricom nationals and Caricom member states concerning issues with which the treaty deals.
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