By Peter Polack

Hello

Seeking confirmation on the recent appointments of Caribbean nationals to the JCPC.

So far as I am able to determine the most recent appointments began with BVI national Dame Janice Periera in August 2024 and the Cayman Islands Sir Anthony Smellie in February 2025, both colonies of the U.K.

At the time of Dame Periera’s appointment Lord Hodge stated that this arose from a revival of the practice of having a distinguished judge from one of it’s jurisdictions.

So far as I am able to determine:

1. The appointments to the JCPC thus far have only been from colonies or British Overseas Territories.
2. The practice of appointments ceased on former colonies becoming independent.
3. No judges have been appointed from Jamaica under this new or revived policy.
4. No judges have been appointed from other former ,now independent, colonies.
5. These Caribbean judges have only been appointed to the Privy Council and not the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
6. These Caribbean judges may only sit occasionally and by invitation to the JCPC.
7. There have been only two appointments with invitations under the current policy.

Whilst the above information could be considered trite I write to seek prompt confirmation nonetheless.

Regrettably, time constraints prevent me from use of a reply past five days whereupon the above information will be considered accurate.

Below is a short bio and my many articles can be found online.

Best
Peter Polack
WhatsApp 431-323-2544

Peter Polack is the author of The Last Hot Battle of the Cold War: South Africa vs. Cuba in the Angolan Civil War (2013), Jamaica, The Land of Film (2017) and Guerrilla Warfare: Kings of Revolution (2018). He was a contributor to Encyclopedia of Warfare (2013). He has completed his latest book entitled Soviet Spies Worldwide: Country by Country, 1940–1988.