Sigmar Carmelia installed as president of Joint Court of Justice

Sigmar Carmelia was installed on Friday 16 October as the 26th president of the Joint Court of Justice. Carmelia said the court, which serves Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, must remain accessible regardless of a person's language or island of residence.

In his installation speech, Carmelia said his priorities include access to justice, developing local legal talent and maintaining cooperation across the six islands. He said the court would work towards greater Caribbean representation within its ranks, while colleagues from the Netherlands would remain welcome.

Carmelia said a pilot project had provided an interpreter at every hearing. He also said the court had introduced a policy to improve publication of judicial decisions.

He said work was under way to provide suitable court accommodation in Aruba, Bonaire and St. Maarten. In Curaçao, demolition has been completed at the former town hall in Punda and construction for the court's return there is expected to begin soon. Under his predecessor, Mauritsz de Kort, Saba and St. Eustatius received their own courthouses.

Carmelia succeeds De Kort, who served as president for almost four years before becoming governor of Curaçao. Carmelia has been a member of the Joint Court since 2015, after completing judicial training in 2012.