标签： Antigua and Barbuda

Leaders from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have formally approved a landmark policy change that will raise the mandatory retirement age for judges of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) from 65 to 70 years old. The decision was reached during a two-day annual OECS summit that concluded in Antigua on Monday, following in-depth consultations with the court’s top leadership.

Gaston Browne, chairman of the OECS and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, confirmed that the proposal originated directly from discussions with ECSC Chief Justice Madam Justice Margaret Price-Findlay. According to Browne, the push for an extended retirement age comes amid a persistent, challenging gap in judicial recruitment that has strained the regional court system for years.

“When our most experienced judges retire at 65, we struggle to quickly find qualified replacements with the same level of expertise and institutional knowledge,” Browne explained, referencing the ongoing recruitment challenges the court has faced.

The heads of government across all OECS member states unanimously backed the Chief Justice’s recommendation, Browne confirmed, adding that legal and administrative amendments to implement the change are expected to be finalized and rolled out over the coming weeks and months.

As the highest superior court of record for the Eastern Caribbean bloc, the ECSC holds jurisdiction over all civil and criminal legal matters across nine Caribbean territories: six independent sovereign nations (Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and St. Kitts and Nevis) and three British Overseas Territories (Montserrat, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands). Headquartered in Castries, St. Lucia, the court operates through two core divisions: the High Court of Justice, which serves as the court of first instance for trials and initial hearings across each member territory, and the itinerant Court of Appeal, which travels between islands to hear appeals from both the High Court and local magistrate courts.

The policy shift is designed to preserve institutional expertise, reduce caseload backlogs that stem from prolonged judicial vacancies, and provide greater stability for the regional judicial system that serves more than 600,000 people across the Eastern Caribbean.

The highest governing body of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), the OECS Authority, has formally greenlit the reappointment of Dr. Didacus Jules to serve his fourth consecutive term as the organisation’s Director General. This move serves as a clear reaffirmation of the Authority’s unwavering confidence in Jules’ leadership capabilities and its shared commitment to pushing forward the bloc’s long-held regional integration agenda.

The historic decision was reached during the 78th official gathering of the OECS Authority, where regional Heads of Government gathered to deliberate on the appointment and collectively praised Jules’ outstanding track record of service over his previous three terms. Leaders highlighted the transformative impact of his work, which has advanced cross-border cooperation, driven tangible regional development, and bolstered the institutional capacity of the OECS bloc as a whole.

Speaking on behalf of the Authority following the vote, former OECS Authority Chairman and Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Honourable Dr. Godwin Friday, highlighted the unique strengths Jules brings to the role. Friday commended Jules for his far-sighted strategic vision, lifelong dedication to public service, and unwavering commitment to nurturing deeper regional integration and inclusive sustainable development across all Eastern Caribbean member states.

“The decision to reappoint you is a direct reflection of the Authority’s collective confidence in your leadership, and a formal recognition of the immeasurable contributions you have made to advancing the OECS integration agenda and strengthening our organisation from within,” Friday stated in his official address. “On behalf of the entire OECS Authority, I extend my warmest and sincere congratulations on your reappointment. We eagerly anticipate your continued service and dedication to the people and governments of all OECS Member States.”

As the Eastern Caribbean bloc continues to chart a path through an increasingly complex and volatile global geopolitical landscape, OECS Authority leaders have emphasized that experienced, steady leadership is critical to advancing the organisation’s core vision: building a more closely integrated, economically resilient, and prosperous region for all citizens. In a separate statement following the announcement, the OECS Commission added its own congratulations to Dr. Jules, confirming it looks forward to continuing its collaborative work with his office to deliver tangible, meaningful improvements to the daily lives of people across OECS member nations.

The government of Antigua and Barbuda has formally given the green light to a key policy change that expands the country’s existing windfall profits tax to a much broader group of businesses, with all new revenue generated by the adjustment earmarked exclusively for the government’s popular free tertiary education initiative.

The confirmation of the final decision came during a post-Cabinet press briefing held on Thursday, where Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant addressed lingering questions from reporters about whether the tax would be expanded beyond its original narrower scope.

Merchant made clear that the policy adjustment has already secured full Cabinet approval, laying out that the expanded levy will apply to every profit-generating company operating across Antigua and Barbuda that crosses the threshold of 1 million Eastern Caribbean dollars in annual profits. When clarifying the scope of the new rule, he emphasized: “All companies within Antigua and Barbuda who make a million plus dollars, they would be required to pay that tax—on profits, that is.”

Unlike generic windfall taxes often introduced to address sudden excess profits, this expansion is explicitly designed to build a stable, long-term funding stream for the administration’s flagship free post-secondary education program. That funding will cover a range of education costs, including tuition support for local students enrolled at the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus, one of the country’s main tertiary education institutions.

Before the tax can go into effect, the government must first pass necessary amendments to existing national legislation through the country’s Parliament. Merchant confirmed that this is the only major procedural step remaining before the policy can be implemented.

Thursday’s formal confirmation of the plan aligns with earlier public comments from Prime Minister Gaston Browne, who first signaled the administration’s intent to broaden the windfall tax as a way to lock in sustainable long-term financing for the free tertiary education program. With the Cabinet having now signed off on the final decision, the process of advancing the required legislative changes through Parliament is expected to move forward in the coming weeks.