Attorney General Says Antigua and Barbuda Must Move Final Court to the Caribbean
Attorney General Sir Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin has renewed calls for Antigua and Barbuda to accede to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), arguing that reliance on the UK-based Privy Council as the country’s final court of appeal undermines national sovereignty.
Speaking in Parliament, Benjamin said the issue was long overdue and should be treated as a core part of constitutional reform, more than four decades after independence.
“It is an affront to our sovereignty as independent nations,” the attorney general told the House, referring to the continued use of the Privy Council as the final appellate court.
He said an independent country should not have its highest court located outside the region, adding that the final court of appeal “should be in the following jurisdiction,” pointing instead to the Caribbean Court of Justice.
Benjamin told Prime Minister Gaston Browne that discussions are already under way with members of the opposition on the issue, suggesting that there is growing recognition across political lines that the time may be right for change.
“Mr Prime Minister, pleased to tell you that we’re having discussions right now with members of the opposition,” he said, adding that “they all seem to think that the time is right.”
The attorney general framed the issue as part of a broader push for Antigua and Barbuda to fully assert its independence, alongside calls for constitutional reform and republican status.
“It’s about time that we grow up and understand that we must run this thing,” Benjamin said, urging political leaders to take responsibility for decisions tied to sovereignty.
The Caribbean Court of Justice, based in Trinidad and Tobago, serves as the final court of appeal for several Caribbean nations, including Barbados, Dominica and Guyana. Supporters argue it strengthens regional legal independence, while critics have previously raised concerns about public trust and political influence.
Benjamin said those concerns should no longer delay action, insisting that constitutional questions such as the final court of appeal must be confronted openly.
The attorney general concluded by pressing the government to advance discussions on the issue as part of a wider constitutional review, saying Antigua and Barbuda must take decisive steps to complete its journey as a fully sovereign state.
