The Crim­i­nal Bar As­so­ci­a­tion has backed for­mer Prime Min­is­ter Dr Kei­th Row­ley's call for T&T to make the Caribbean Court of Jus­tice (C.C.J.) the fi­nal Court of Ap­peal and leave the Privy Coun­cil.

“We have right here, with­in the Caribbean ju­ris­dic­tions very bril­liant ju­rists and it is dis­ap­point­ing that our peo­ple can­not free them­selves from “men­tal slav­ery” vis á vis the de­vel­op­ment of our own ju­rispru­dence” said Is­rael Khan SC, who heads the as­so­ci­a­tion.

He added, "In the near fu­ture both the Op­po­si­tion and Gov­ern­ment should put their heads to­geth­er and thus speak with one voice. “We want the C.C.J. as our Apex Court”."