CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC—The Judicial and Legal Services Commission has appointed Justice Mario Michel as the Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC).
Michel, a St. Lucian-national with a distinguished legal career, will be in the position until September 4, this year. He follows in the footsteps of the late Sir Allan Lewis and Vincent Floissac, becoming the third St. Lucian to hold the position of Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
Michel succeeds Dame Janice M Pereira, who held the position since October 24, 2012, making her the first female Chief Justice of the court and the longest-serving Chief Justice to date. Her retirement on May 4, 2024, paved the way for Justice Michel to assume the role.
The ECSC, a superior court of record for the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), has a broad jurisdiction. It interprets and applies laws across member states, decides cases of civil and criminal matters, and hears appeals, making it a crucial legal institution in the region.
Of the grouping, Dominica and St. Lucia are the only islands that regard the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) as its final and highest court.
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