BRIEF HISTORY OF THE COURT

In 1967, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States – namely Antigua, Anguilla, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Vincent, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Saint Lucia – joined in a new “status of association” with the United Kingdom, in accordance with the West Indies Act of 1967. The Act provided for Her Majesty by Order in Council to establish common courts for the Associated States with "such jurisdiction and powers as may be so specified or determined." The Order in Council also allowed provisions to be made for the establishment in common of a commission to appoint judges and officers of the Court; for the remuneration, allowances, and pension rights of the commission, as well as the judges and officers of the Court; and for defraying the expenses of the Commission and the Courts.

The West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order duly followed and gave effect to Section 6 of the West Indies Act, permitting the establishment of common courts for the Associated States - "West Indies Associated States Supreme Court". Since then, this Order has been given constitutional recognition and effect by two successive Constitutions, the Associated State Constitution of 1967 and the Independence Constitutions of the respective States beginning with the Independence Constitution of Grenada in 1974.

The most important change initiated by the Supreme Court Order was the fusion of the High Court and Court of Appeal into one Supreme Court, and the confinement of all appeals to the Court of Appeal. The previous duality, which allowed the appellate jurisdiction to be shared by different appeal courts, was abolished.

This new arrangement helped to facilitate greater supervisory jurisdiction over the legal system of the individual states by the Supreme Court. It was, however, left to the Constitutions of the individual states and the local legislatures to enact statutory provisions to give flesh to the Supreme Court Order of 1967.

The civil jurisdiction of the former Supreme Court of the Windward and Leeward Islands was vested in the High Court of the now-established West Indies Associated States Supreme Court.

Court of Appeal

Following the West Indies Act, 1967, the Hon. Chief Justice Sir Allen Lewis, Justice Keith Gordon and Justice P. Cecil Lewis comprised the Bench of the first sitting of the Court of Appeal.

Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis served as Chief Justice from 1967 to 1972 when he retired from the post of Chief Justice and brought his judicial career to a close. He was replaced by Acting Chief Justice P. Cecil Lewis (1972 – 1975).

Subsequent Chief Justices in chronological order, up to present time, are: Sir Maurice Davis (1975 – 1980); Sir Neville Peterkin (1981 - 1983); Justice Neville Berridge [Ag.] (1983 – 1984); Sir Lascelles Robotham ( 1984 - 1991); Sir Vincent Floissac, QC, OBE, CMG (1991 – 1996); Sir Dennis Byron (1996 – 2004), who is currently on leave of absence on a three year contract as permanent judge with the Rwanda Tribunal; Justice Adrian Saunders [Ag.] (2004 – 2005); Justice Brian Alleyne, SC [Ag.].

The West Indies Associated States Supreme Court, now styled as the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, was initially housed in the West Indies Associated States Secretariat in Grenada, until it moved to Saint Lucia following the demise of the constitutionally elected government of Sir Eric Matthew Gairy in March 1979.

Brief Biographies of Former Chief Justices:

Sir Allen Montgomery Lewis was born in Castries on October 26th 1909. He was educated at the Castries Anglican Infant and Primary Schools and Saint Mary's College.

After his success in the London Matriculation Examination in 1926, he entered the legal Chambers of Mr. Elwin Augustin, Barrister at Law as an articled clerk. In due course, he passed the local bar examination, was called to the bar of the Royal Court of Saint Lucia in June, 1931 and began practice as a barrister, solicitor and notary - royal in Saint Lucia.

Sir Allen continued his private studies and in 1940 sat and passed the Bachelor of Laws degree examination of London University with second class honours.
As a "local" barrister, Sir Allen was entitled to practice his profession only in Saint Lucia. He wished, however to practice in other parts of the British West Indies also. He therefore joined the Middle Temple, one of the Inns of Courts of England, where English barristers are trained. Due to the Second World War, travel to England was difficult, so candidates were permitted to study for and sit their law examinations outside of England. This Sir Allen did and after the war he proceeded to England, read in the Chambers of an English barrister and in May 1946 was called to the English bar. He returned to Saint Lucia and continued to practice there until 1959.

Sir Allen served as Acting Magistrate in 1940. In December 1941, he was elected a member of the Castries City Council. He continued as a member until 1956, being elected Chairman six times. In 1943 he was elected a member of the Legislative Council of Saint Lucia and served until 1951. He was instrumental in the movement for adult suffrage, and was one of the founders of the Saint Lucia Labour Party (1950).

Sir Allen served for several years as treasurer of the Saint Lucia Cricket Club, a member of the Cork Cup (cricket) committee. He was a manager of the Anglican schools, a member of the Saint Mary's College Advisory Committee and the Saint Lucia Board of Education. In the early 1950's, he served as a member of the Council of the newly established University of the West Indies, representing the Guild of Graduates of the Windward Islands.

In other public spheres, Sir Allen served as Chairman of the Central Library Board, as Director of the Saint Lucia Branch of the British Red Cross Society and as a member of the Saint Lucia Boy Scouts Association.

On the formation of the West Indies Federation in 1958, Sir Allen was called to service in a regional field. Appointed to represent Saint Lucia in the West Indies Senate his colleagues elected him to be the first president of the Senate. He held this post until 1959 when he was appointed a Judge of the Federal Supreme Court of the West Indies.

Upon the dissolution of the Federation in 1962, Sir Allen was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal of the newly independent Jamaica. He served in this post until 1967 when he returned to the Eastern Caribbean to assume the post of Chief Justice of the newly established West Indies Associated States Supreme Court.

In 1972 Sir Allen retired from the post of Chief Justice and brought his judicial career to a close. He returned to his native Saint Lucia and set up a National Development Corporation whose functions were to develop the economy of Saint Lucia. After two years of work in which he finally laid the foundations of the organisation, he was appointed Governor of Saint Lucia - the Queen's representative and Head of State.

On the attainment of Independence in 1979, Sir Allen became the first Governor - General of Saint Lucia. He retired in 1980 and was re-appointed Governor - General in 1982, where he served until 1987. However, he still served the region as Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, a post he held from 1975.

Sir Allen was honoured several times by Her Majesty the Queen for his public services. In 1952 he was awarded the Coronation Medal. In 1968, shortly after his appointment as Chief Justice, he was made a Knight Bachelor. In 1975 he was made a Knight of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. In 1977 he was awarded the Jubilee Medal, in 1979 he was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George and in 1985 he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. In 1974, the University of the West Indies conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

Sir Allen Lewis died in February 1993.

His Lordship, the Hon. Neville Algernon Berridge was a native of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

He served the legal profession and the Judiciary of the Eastern Caribbean with distinction.

Prior to his elevation to the Bench, he served as Registrar and Crown Attorney in the Commonwealth of Dominica, Magistrate in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and in Saint Kitts and Nevis. Justice Berridge also served as Attorney General in the Commonwealth of Dominica and Grenada in the early 1960s.

Justice Berridge was first appointed as an Acting High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 1967. He was confirmed in the position in 1968 and assigned to the Commonwealth of Dominica. In 1971, he was assigned to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Justice Berridge first acted as Justice of Appeal in 1974 and was confirmed on 26th May 1978. In 1977 he was appointed as a member of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission.

Justice Berridge acted as Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in 1983 following the retirement of the late Sir Neville Peterkin.

Justice Neville Berridge retired from the Bench on 4th December 1984.
The former acting Chief Justice and Justice of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, passed away in his adopted homeland of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Saturday 8th July 2000.

Justice Berridge was buried in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Monday 17th July 2000.

The Honourable Sir Lascelles Lister Robotham, a Jamaican, was born 22nd October, 1923 to Vivian Constantine Robotham and Ethline Blanche Robotham. He was educated at Calabar College in Kingston, Jamaica (1937 – 1941); and later went on to the Lincoln’s Inn, London, England (1953 – 1955) where he obtained a 2nd class honours. He was called to the Bar at the Lincoln’s Inn, 28th June, 1955.

He was the holder of the post-final certificate, awarded by the Council of Legal Education, on satisfactory completion of a practical course for overseas graduates.

Having completed his course of study in London, England, he returned to his native country where he served as Crown Counsel, 1955 – 1958; Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, 1958 – 1962; Resident Magistrate, 1962 – 1964; High Court Judge, 1964 – 1976; and Justice of Appeal, 1976 – 1979. In 1979 Sir Lascelles Robotham made the decision to continue his judicial career in the wider Caribbean, so he journeyed to the Eastern Caribbean where he first served as a High Court Judge, assigned to Antigua and Barbuda. Shortly thereafter he was appointed Justice of Appeal in 1982, and then Chief Justice in 1984, a position which he held until his retirement in 1991.

1987 was a good year for Sir Lascelles. He was knighted by her Majesty the Queen in May, and became a Honorary Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn in November.

Like most West Indian men, Sir Lascelles was an avid cricket fan. He also loved to read and do gardening.

He was married to Gloria Angela Stiebel, and they both parented 2 children: Gordon and Rosemarie.

Sir Lascelles Robotham died 19th February 1996.

The Rt. Hon. Sir Vincent Floissac is a former Chief Justice and President of the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, having served in that capacity from November 1991 to July 1996.

Sir Vincent was Saint Lucia’s Open Island Scholarship winner in 1948. He enrolled at the University College, London University, where he obtained his LL.B degree with Honours in 1951. He then entered the Inns of Court School of Law (Gray’s Inn) where he successfully completed the Bar Finals before being called to the Bar of England in 1952. He also obtained his LL.M. at London University in 1953.

Sir Vincent practiced law in the island of Saint Lucia for 37 years between 1953 and 1991.

He was a member of the Seychelles Court of Appeal between 1988 and 1991.

Sir Vincent, a former President of the Saint Lucia Bar Association, is currently an Honorary Bachelor of Gray’s Inn, and has been a member of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council since 1992.

Between 1969 and 1975, Sir Vincent was a Nominated Member and Deputy Speaker of the Saint Lucia House of Assembly. In 1979 he was installed as the First President of the Senate of Saint Lucia.

He was the Governor General’s Deputy on various occasions in 1983 and 1988, and acted as Governor-General of Saint Lucia from May 1987 to October 1988.

An avid sportsman, Sir Vincent represented Saint Lucia in the sport of lawn tennis. He was also Saint Lucia’s Table Tennis Champion in 1943.

For his numerous contributions to the legal profession, and his public service, Sir Vincent was awarded Silk in 1969; made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1973; a Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in 1985; and awarded a Knight Bachelorhood in 1992.

Sir Vincent is married to Lady Marilyn Floissac and they are the parents of twin daughters, Heather and Brenda.

The Right Hon. Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron was born in 1943 in Basseterre, Saint Kitts.

He read law at Cambridge, before being called to the Bar at the Hon. Society of Inner Temple as Barrister-at-Law of the High Court of Justice of England and Wales.

Sir Dennis graduated with an M.A and LL.B. from Cambridge University in 1966. In 1965 he was called to the Bar at the Hon. Society of Inner Temple as Barrister-at-Law of the High Court of Justice in England. He worked in private practice as a Barrister-at Law throughout Leeward Islands, with Chambers in Saint Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla from 1966 to 1982, before being appointed as a High Court Judge.

In 1982-1990 he served as a High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), with special assignment as Acting Chief Justice of Grenada in relation to the Maurice Bishop murder trial. Sir Dennis Byron has attended numerous Conferences on Judicial Reform Programmes and he is particularly interested in Judicial Education Activities. He is the current President of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute (CJEI). The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Judicial Reform Program had its genesis with Sir Dennis Byron.

He acted as Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court from 1996 and was confirmed in April of 1999.

In the year 2000 the non-hereditary title of “Sir” was conferred upon him by the Queen of England, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Sir Dennis Byron was granted leave of absence in April 2004, by the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Heads of Government to take up a three-year appointment in the continent of Africa, where he assumed the post of permanent judge of the United Nations War Crimes Tribunal for Rwanda, replacing Justice Lloyd George Williams, who resigned in March 2005. He will serve out the remainder of Judge Williams’ term, which expires on 24 May 2007.

His Lordship, the Hon. Justice Adrian Saunders was born in Saint Vincent – in the State of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

At school he excelled in academics, sporting and social fields. He showed early signs of leadership, and was head boy in his final year at the Saint Vincent Boys Grammar School.

His pursuit of a career in law led him to the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies, where he excelled and completed his studies with honours. He then went on to study for the Certificate in Legal Education at the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad.

Following his course of studies he returned to Saint Vincent, where he later headed the law firm of Saunders and Huggins, which became one of the most respected firms in the country. During this time, he also engaged in leadership roles, in civil roles and also participated in table tennis competitions in the region.

As a lawyer, his leadership role was not limited to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Bar, but also as a member of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. He undertook some very important responsibilities, and developed the high respect of his colleagues in the region.

Justice Adrian Saunders served as an Acting High Court Judge of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, assigned to the Dependent Territories of Montserrat and Anguilla, during September to December 1996. He was confirmed as a High Court Judge on 1st January 1997, and was elevated to the Court of Appeal 1st May 2003. Upon the departure of the Right Hon. Sir Dennis Byron, Justice Saunders assumed the role of Acting Chief Justice. He held this position from June 2004 to February 2005, and terminated his tenure of office with the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court on 31st March 2005.

Justice Saunders presently serves as a Judge of the newly established Caribbean Court of Justice.