ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Nov 6, CMC – Grenadians were casting their ballot on Tuesday for the second time within a two year period on whether or not to replace the London-based Privy Council as the island’s final court.
Two years ago, they narrowly rejected the bill that would have allowed the island to join Barbados, Dominica, Belize and Guyana as the only Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that have signed on to the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) that was established in 2001 to replace the Privy Council as the region’s highest court.
While the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is urging supporters to vote against the measure, Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell in a radio and television broadcast said that support for the CCJ would cement Grenada’s political independence from Britain, which it attained in 1979.
Nearly 1,000 police officers were eligible to cast their ballots last Friday and reports indicate that early voter turnout on Tuesday was slow.
“We opened on time. Everything is in place and we are ready. Last Friday when the police voted there was also a slow start but by the end it was a 48 per cent turn out,” Supervisor of Elections, Alex Phillip said.
The 1974 Grenada Constitution states that while the final appellate court is the Privy Council any change or amendment would require a two-thirds of the voting population in a national referendum.
The polling stations close at 5.00 pm (local time). (CMC)
