Justice Adrian Saunders, honoured to have served

Outgoing president of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), Vincentian, Justice Adrian Saunders, says it was an honour to have served the people of the Caribbean for almost 30 years, 20 of which was spent at the CCJ.

On Tuesday, June 3, Justice Saunders was honoured during a ceremonial sitting of the court at Queen’s Hall, Port of Spain, Trinidad. It was noted that Justice Saunders’ 20-year tenure at the CCJ saw him serving as the Court’s third President for seven years. Seven years is the maximum term allowed for Presidents of the Court.

“It is truly an honour to have served the people of the Caribbean for almost thirty years, both at the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, and here at the CCJ. I have had the privilege of working alongside a distinguished panel of judges and a committed team of staff, all of whom share an unwavering dedication to justice, regional development, and institutional excellence,” Justice Saunders said during the event.

Justice Saunders is the first citizen of the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to serve on the Bench.

He began his judicial career in 1996 with his appointment to the High Court of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC). He was elevated to the Court of Appeal in 2003, and served as the acting Chief Justice between 2004 and 2005. During his tenure at the ECSC, Justice Saunders was deeply involved in judicial reform initiatives, including the introduction of court-connected mediation, and the development of the Court’s first Judicial Code of Ethics.

In 1998, he earned a Fellowship of the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute (CJEI). He was the Course Director of the CJEI’s Intensive Study Programme for several years, and is currently one of the Institute’s Vice Presidents.

Justice Saunders was also appointed to serve on the Advisory Board of the Global Judicial Integrity Network by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. In 2005, he became one of the inaugural judges of the CCJ.

He is a founding member of the Caribbean Association of Judicial Officers (CAJO) which provides judicial education for judicial officers throughout the region, and served as the Association’s Chairman from its inception in 2009 to 2019.

He retires on July 3, 2025.