"The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has assumed a greater role in guiding and coordinating the affairs of its member states. The introduction of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) bring the quest for democratic governance into sharp relief. Using Caribbean cases, Simeon McIntosh discusses the fundamental rights and freedoms of speech and of the press, freedom of religion and freedom form inhuman and degrading punishment. He examines the protection of these rights and freedoms in the light of changes in society, social progress and other developments in the Commonwealth Caribbean within the context of the CSME and the CCJ. Fundamental Rights and Democratic Governance is the first body of work to give serious philosophical treatment to the question of fundamental rights in the Caribbean. In this second instalment on Caribbean Constitutionalism, McIntosh builds on his earlier work, Caribbean Constitutional Reform: Rethinking the West Indian Polity, in laying the theoretical justification for the Caribbean Court of Justice. "

This book brings together a unique collection of papers concerning the protection of human rights under Bills of Rights in Commonwealth Caribbean Countries and under regional and international human rights treaties. The papers have been prepared by distinguished judges, legal practitioners, government officers and members of non-governmental human rights organisations. The work demonstrates the relevance of international human rights law in domestic cases, and considers practical ways of strengthening effective protection of human rights through constitutional and international laws and mechanisms. The book is arranged on a thematic basis, with each chapter being devoted to papers and discussions on a particular human rights issue. The issues covered are: the use of available remedies; liberty and security of the person; the right to a fair trial; access to court; the right to life and human dignity; freedom of expression; equality before the law; freedom of association; the role of Governments and of non-governmental organisations in the protection and the promotion of human rights.

This book includes the reforms proposed by the various Caribbean Commissions since 1985, making it a comprehensive guide to constitutional law in the Caribbean. It outlines sources of the law and developing changes in the doctrine of sovereignty of Parliament and the Conventions of the Constitution as well as in the role of the Public Service. There is also an expanded commentary on the Caribbean judiciary in which special reference is made to the proposed Caribbean Court of Justice.Caribbean Constitutional Law will be valuable to students of law and political science and practitione.

"This is the first book to be written on Caribbean constitutional theory. In the continuing discourse and emergent project of constitutional reform in the Commonwealth Caribbean, it examines the origins of the Independence Constitutions across the Commonwealth Caribbean and traces the region's constitutional development from the time of the emancipation of slavery through to independence. At its core is the premise that constitutional reform must necessarily result in a redefining of West Indian political identity. The theme throughout the book is the fact that the written constitutions of the Caribbean all have their origin in the British Parliament and the unwritten English constitution that has evolved over centuries. The existing constitutions were all the result of the collaborative efforts of the region's political elite and British officials, with no participation from the West Indian people. The Crown is still claimed and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council remains the final appellate court. In the result, political independence has simply meant that the countries of the Commonwealth Caribbean are independent subjects of the Crown rather than colonial subjects. The book begins with the process of 'lawful devolution of sovereignty' and the origins of the sovereign states of the Commonwealth Caribbean and proceeds to address the theoretical issues of founding and amendability as well as such pressing issues about the relationship between a prime minister and a head of state in a parliamentary republic and electoral reform. An entire chapter is devoted to the Bill of Rights and addresses the fundamental rights and freedoms preserved in Caribbean Bills of Rights as well as the controversial and paradoxical Savings Clauses, which in and of themselves might justify the rewriting of the fundamental rights provisions of Commonwealth Caribbean Constitutions. Caribbean Constitutional Reform offers a philosophical justification for the establishment of a Caribbean Supreme Court based on the idea of sovereignty and the right of a people to define themselves. This work makes the first definitive step to addressing these critical issues in Caribbean constitutional theory and sets the stage for a 'new constitutional discourse' shaped by a Caribbean court of final appeal. "

The Oxford Handbook of Caribbean Constitutions offers a detailed and analytical view of the constitutions of the Caribbean region, examining the constitutional development of its diverse countries. The Handbook explains the features of the region's constitutions and examines themes emerging from the Caribbean's experience with constitutional interpretation and reform. Beginning with a Foreword from the former President of the Caribbean Court of Justice and an Introduction by the lead editor, Richard Albert, the remainder of the book is divided into four parts. Part I, 'Caribbean Constitutions in the World', highlights what is distinctive about the constitutions of the Caribbean. Part II covers the constitutions of the Caribbean in detail, offering a rich analysis of the constitutional history, design, controversies, and future challenges in each country or group of countries. Each chapter in this section addresses topics such as the impact of key historical and political events on the constitutional landscape for the jurisdiction, a systematic account of the interaction between the legislature and the executive, the civil service, the electoral system, and the independence of the judiciary. Part III addresses fundamental rights debates and developments in the region, including the death penalty and socio-economic rights. Finally, Part IV features critical reflections on the challenges and prospects for the region, including the work of the Caribbean Court of Justice and the future of constitutional reform. This is the first book of its kind, bringing together in a single volume a comprehensive review of the constitutional development of the entire Caribbean region, from the Bahamas in the north to Guyana and Suriname in South America, and all the islands in between. While written in English, the book embraces the linguistic and cultural diversity of the region, and covers the Anglophone Caribbean as well as the Spanish-, French-, and Dutch-speaking Caribbean countries.