The Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), on April 7, held a case management conference for its first‑ever referral from a national court.

The High Court of Belize submitted a question for referral in the case of G. Anwar Barrow and others v Financial Services Commission and the Attorney General of Belize on 3 March 2026. The referred question concerns the interpretation of certain statutory requirements in the Companies Act of Belize and the prohibition against anti-competitive business conduct in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas (RTC).

In its Original Jurisdiction, the CCJ has compulsory and exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine disputes concerning the interpretation and application of the RTC. Where such a dispute arises before national courts or tribunals, the RTC requires the local court or tribunal to refer the issue to the CCJ for authoritative interpretation. Once the CCJ has given its interpretation, the proceedings are resumed by the referring court or tribunal, which will then apply the ruling to the facts of the dispute pending before it and deliver judgment.

However, before 2026, no such referrals had been made to the CCJ. It was against this backdrop that the CCJ embarked on a public education campaign to sensitise courts and practising attorneys in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) about the referral process. With funding support from the 11^th European Development Fund, the Court carried out a series of outreach and training activities for judges, lawyers, and private‑sector groups.

Launched in Belize in 2022, sessions were held in Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The CCJ also worked with business communities to raise awareness about the rights and freedoms available under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy.

The English and Dutch versions of the referral video and the manual are available on the Court’s website here: CCJ’s Referral Process.

At the case management conference, the Court issued directions for the further management of the proceedings. The hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, 19 May 2026, at 11:00 am AST and will be conducted by video conference.