THE Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which has the financial support of only two countries – Guyana and Barbados – is likely to have this increased by one shortly. President de la Bastide disclosed this during a video conference that was held by the Caribbean Court of Justice to tell members of the media that the current president will be retiring on August 17, and to introduce the president-designate, Sir Dennis Byron.
After the introduction, media personnel were given the opportunity to pose questions to the president-designate and the current president, on matters relating to the CCJ and the CARICOM Community,
The video conferencing sites were set up in each of the countries, including, Guyana, St.Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
The venue for Guyana was the Court of Appeal at 60 High Street, Georgetown,  where members  of the media included  George Barclay of the Guyana Chronicle, Frances Abraham and Iana Seals of Stabroek News,  and Shunza Samuels and Quacy Core of the National Communications Network (NCN).
At the beginning, President de la Bastide, who introduced the new president said that it was decided that a president to the Court should not serve more than seven years; and on  August 17 this year he should have served seven years with the Court, and therefore he would be retiring.
A legal commission had recommended the Rt. Hon. Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron to be the next president which was a transparent decision.
It was not a recommendation that had political overtones; President de la Bastide said that the decision had the blessings of the Heads of Government.
He went on to say that the new president is also a native of St. Kitts and Nevis and a citizen of Antigua-Barbuda and St. Lucia.
President de la Bastide gave an educational background of his successor and the career of President Byron, who had also served as a Special Tribunal in Rwanda.
He felt quite confident that he would be handing over to a proper person in a few months time, since he would be handing over to a person of quality and talent.
Byron congratulated President de la Bastide for a job well done and thanked him for the contribution he made in relation to him as a significant successor.
He said that he was grateful for the opportunity to serve.
Justice de la Bastide observed that he is quite disappointed that all CARICOM states have so far not joined the CCJ in its Appellate Jurisdiction, as the final court in the region.
“But I have reason to say that the number will shortly be increased to three.
It is believed that the third member will be Trinidad & Tobago.