Statement from the Honourable Chief Justice
Her Ladyship, Dame Janice M. Pereira, DBE, LL.D.
on the
Eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The Hon. Chief Justice, Her Ladyship, Dame Janice M. Pereira, DBE, LL.D., Judicial Officers, Management and Staff of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court join in expressing our support to the Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the wake of the eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano.

The eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano which occurred on the morning of Friday, 9th April 2021 has potential for destruction and has already caused significant displacement. It has also occurred in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, a most challenging time for several of our Member States and Territories facing the uphill task of reducing the transmission of the virus, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines being no exception. For many, processing this event will be deeply personal and traumatic. I encourage the people of the Eastern Caribbean to find ways for us as individuals and as a region to provide support to our brothers and sisters in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. We must remember that we are our brothers and sisters’ keepers.

As Chief Justice, I pray that the Almighty God bestows his strength and resilience onto the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in the face of yet another unfamiliar challenge. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court stands in solidarity with them and is committed to providing its full support in their recovery and rehabilitation efforts. No effort will be spared in lending a helping hand and ensuring that access to justice is maintained. We must ensure that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines emerges from this disaster stronger and that normalcy quickly returns to the lives of its people.

The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The ECSC is a superior court of record for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six Independent States: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; and three British Overseas Territories: Anguilla, The Territory of the Virgin Islands, and Montserrat. The Court has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State and Territory.