AG announces Establishment of Constitution Review Committee

Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin announced plans to initiate national discussions on Antigua and Barbuda’s accession to the appellate jurisdiction of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), calling the delay “long overdue” during the opening of the Law Year 2026.

“It is an affront to our sovereignty as independent democratic states. The final court of appeal should be in a foreign jurisdiction,” Benjamin stated, quoting retired Trinidad and Tobago Justice Hyatali. He emphasized: “Let us recognize that we are now the masters of our own destiny.”

The Attorney General also revealed that the country will debate progressing to republic status, with plans to hold a referendum “at the appropriate time.”

Benjamin announced the establishment of a constitutional review and reform committee, which he will chair alongside Vice Chair Justin Simon KC. The committee includes Dobrene Omarde, Dr. Lenworth Johnson, Parliamentarian Richard Lewis, Debra Burnette, and ABCRE members Beverly Benjamin and Ralph Bowen. Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle and Barbuda People’s Movement leader Trevor Walker have been invited to nominate members to the committee.

Speaking at the event themed “The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court: Justice That Endures, Anchored in Independence, Strengthened Through Trust,” Benjamin acknowledged inefficiencies in the court system, particularly “the backlog of criminal matters.”

“This government, my government, will not remain idle in the face of inefficiencies that impede justice,” he declared, announcing targeted reforms as part of the 2026 legislative agenda.

The Attorney General praised the High Court’s civil jurisdiction, reporting “there is hardly any outstanding matter in that division.”

Benjamin called on members of the Bar to “educate the public” about the importance of joining the CCJ, noting that the constitutional review process will include “wide-ranging discussions within our civil society, groups, churches, and NGOs.”

The Attorney General emphasized that judicial independence, while “firmly anchored in our constitutions,” must be accompanied by public trust earned through “consistency, transparency, integrity, and fairness.”