The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Thursday set November 6 and 7 as the dates to hear the case of the Trinidad and Tobago-based political analyst, Derek Ramsamooj, challenging the conduct of the State of Suriname following his detention in the Dutch-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country in 2020.
Newly appointed CCJ President, Justice Winston Anderson, said the judges were looking forward to see all parties ‘at the seat of the court sixth and seventh November and yo try this matter at the time’.
He said that a case management (CMC) was held in January this year, in which the CCJ issued certain orders regarding the filing of documents.
‘The timetable has been complied with, we have all of the documents in hand including.CARICOM (Caribbean Community) an amicus brief .responding to specific questions raised by the court.
The CCJ President said that the witness statements have also been received, adding that the meeting on Thursday ‘was to make sure that we have everything arranged for the trial to take place on the sixth and seventh of November and in particular we wanted to ensure hat we have he order in which the witnesses will give their evidence’.
Ramsamooj, 64, who holds both Trinidad and Tobago and British passports, was summarily detained in Paramaribo in October 2020, and was not allowed to leave the country until September 2022. He suffers from a range of medical issues including diabetes, hypertension and severe coronary artery disease.
A presiding judge had ordered the authorities in Suriname to return his passports, noting that Ramsamooj had, at all times, demonstrated a willingness to support due process, and had consistently stated his desire to clear his name through the legal routes.
The analyst, who has worked in several Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, Guyana, Grenada, St Lucia and St Kitts and Nevis, was told by Suriname police on October 6, 2020, that they only wanted a statement to support an enquiry into operations at the Surinamese Post Savings Bank (SPSB).
Ramsamooj had conducted customer surveys for the SPSB, as well as bank employee surveys, in addition to conducting two country risk assessments of Suriname in his capacity as an analyst and researcher. The activities were paid for by the financial institution.
The CCJ, which was established in February 2001 replacing the London-based Privy Council, also acts as an international tribunal interpreting the Revised Treaty of the Chaguaramas that governs the regional integration movement.
In his application to the CCJ, Ramsamooj is seeking a number of relief measures including a declaration that Suriname infringed his right to freedom of movement as well as a right to provide services.
In addition, Ramsamooj wants a declaration that Suriname infringed his right not to be discriminated against on the ground of his nationality as well as a declaration that the Suriname breached its obligations under Article 9 of the Revisted Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC) that governs the 15-member regional integration movement, CARICOM.
The lawyers for the political analyst said that Suriname failed to ensure that their client was not subjected to arbitrary imprisonment and/or denial of Counsel and/or denial of adequate medical attention and/or discrimination on the ground of nationality and/or the several rights identified in the Charter of Civil Society.
In addition Ramsamooj is seeking damages and cost.