By FRANCIS JOSEPH
Ronnie Boodoosingh made his first official visit to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as Chief Justice at a time when there are calls in some quarters for Trinidad and Tobago to abolish appeals to London.
The question is – should Trinidad and Tobago abolish appeals to the Privy Council and accept the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final court of appeal? The CCJ has its headquarters in Port-of-Spain. Until such time that any change is made, the Privy Council remains our final court of appeal.
So for the opening of the new law term in the UK, at the invitation of the President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Briggs, CJ Boodoosingh attended several events while in London.
He attended the opening of the Legal Year of England and Wales on October 1, 2026, as an international guest. The opening included a service at Westminster Abbey, which is opposite to the Houses of Parliament.
During his visit to London, the Chief Justice held a number of meetings with senior members of the United Kingdom and Caribbean Judiciaries.
Justices of the Bahamas and Bermuda
He met with the Registrar of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, as well as the incoming President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Briggs, and Deputy President, Lord Sales, both of whom sit regularly on cases from Trinidad and Tobago.
Discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between the Privy Council and the Judiciaries of Caribbean jurisdictions which retain the Privy Council as their final court of appeal. The discussions also considered opportunities for greater engagement between Privy Council Judges and local judiciaries, as well as matters of mutual interest and access to justice for court users in the Caribbean.
The leadership of the Privy Council reaffirmed its commitment to providing a high-quality service to the people of the region, including Trinidad and Tobago. Discussions also explored ways in which this service could be further enhanced.
The Chief Justice also met with the President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Reed; Deputy President Lord Sales; and the Lady Chief Justice of England and Wales, Baroness Carr. The meetings provided opportunities to discuss matters of mutual interest and to strengthen judicial relationships.
All parties agreed on the importance of continued dialogue and engagement.
The Chief Justice also met with the Chief Justice of The Bahamas, Sir Ian Winder, and the Chief Justice of Bermuda, Sir Larry.
While in London, CJ Boodoosingh paid a courtesy call on Urvashi Ramnarine, acting High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Kingdom, and held discussions with her on matters of mutual interest.
