Magna Carta in the Caribbean

The main objectives of this project are:

This project has accomplished three objectives: (i) to serve as a Commonwealth Caribbean link to the Magna 800^th Anniversary Committee; (ii) to provide a platform throughout the Commonwealth Caribbean leading up to the commemoration of the 800^th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta on the 15^th June, 2015 by way of the holding of a series of Magna Carta seminars and public lectures throughout the Commonwealth Caribbean; and (iii) to raise the level of awareness throughout the Commonwealth Caribbean of the significance of the Magna Carta in the context of democracy and human rights. A postgraduate political science course at UWI St. Augustine (Course code GOVT 6005-Political Theory) now features Magna Carta content. An edited book on Magna Carta in the West Indies is being prepared. Sir Robert Worcester, Chairman of the 800th Committee, will write the preface for this.

The time period for the project is October 2014–July 2015.

On February 20th, Chief Justice of Barbados Sir Marston Gibson spoke as part of this project. Click here to download the .pdf

The main activities include:

(i) Seminars and/or lectures in Commonwealth Caribbean countries.

(ii) Seminars and/or lectures from October 2014 to July 2015.

(iii)Panel discussions after each lecture or an extended question and answer session after each lecture in each country on the same day based on the local circumstances. These will be recorded and findings reflected within the final publication.

The following issues have been addressed for research and discussion:

(i) The Magna Carta 1215 and its application to the Commonwealth Caribbean.

(ii) Bills of Rights in Commonwealth Caribbean Constitutions.

(iii) The preservation of the Rule of Law and the link to the Magna Carta.

(iv) Commonwealth Caribbean constitutional design and Magna Carta.

Watch now: the Magna Carta Lecture that was delivered in St. Lucia on February 11th 2015 by Dr. June Soomer, St. Lucia’s Ambassador to CARICOM.

Lectures given:

– 18th October, 2014,. UWI St.Augustine Campus, Trinidad. Speaker: Sir Robert Worcester, Chairman, Magna Carta 800th Anniversary Committee.
– 9th January, 2015, UWI Open Campus, Dominica. Speaker: Sir Brian Alleyne, retired Justice of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
– 17th January, 2015, UWI Open Campus, Kingstown, St Vincent and the Grenadines. Speaker: Mr Parnel Campbell QC, former Attorney General of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
– 29th January, 2015, UWI Open Campus, Belize City, Belize. Speaker: Mr Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney – at – Law.
– 2nd February, 2015, UWI Mona Campus, Western Jamaica Campus, Montego Bay, Jamaica. Speaker: Dr Coleen Lewis, Lecturer in Law.
– 4th February, 2015, UWI Mona Campus, Kingston, Jamaica. Speaker: Dr Derrick McKoy, Dean, Faculty of Law.
– 11th February, 2015, UWI Open Campus, Castries, St Lucia. Speaker: Dr June Soomer, St Lucia’s Ambassador to the OECS.
– 20th February, 2015, UWI Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown, Barbados. Speaker: Sir Marston Gibson, Chief Justice of Barbados.
– 20th March, 2015, UWI Open Campus, Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis. Speaker: Sir Dennis Byron, Chief Justice of the Caribbean Court of Justice.
– 25th March, 2015, UWI Open Campus, Georgetown, Cayman Islands. Speaker: Mr Samuel Bulgin QC, Attorney General of the Cayman Islands.

Watch now: Magna Carta Lecture Videos

Below is footage from the Lecture Series, hosted on our Magna Carta 800th YouTube account.

UWI Cave Hill Campus, Bridgetown, Barbados. The Hon. Sir Marston Gibson, Chief Justice of Barbados, Speaker.

Trinidad and Tobago

Cayman Islands

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