PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Justice Jacob Wit has retired from the Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) due to ill health, according to a statement issued by the Court.

Justice Wit was a member of the Court’s inaugural Bench in 2005 and served for 18 years; “however, since October 2023, his health has been impacted,” the CCJ said.

“This is a sad day for the Court, especially since Justice Wit and I formed part of the inaugural Bench of the Court. He was the lone Civil Law Judge on the current CCJ Bench with rich experience in military law, administrative law, constitutional law, and international human rights law,” said CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders.

“His involvement with the CCJ Academy for Law and his role in coordinating the Academy’s most recent Biennial Conference and Regional Town Hall focusing on crime are recognised and deeply appreciated. I will certainly miss him and his contributions,” he added.

The CCJ, which was established in 2001to replace the London-based Privy Council as the region’s final and highest court, said it is hopeful that Justice Wit “ recovers and enjoys his retirement, after a long and meritorious career which spanned close to five decades”.

Justice Wit, 71, was born in Haarlemmermeer, The Netherlands. Hegraduated from the Vrije Universiteit (Free University) of Amsterdam with a Master of Laws degree with honours in 1977 before joining the Royal Dutch Navy.

Justice Wit was appointed by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands as Deputy Judge of the Rotterdam District Court in January 1984, Judge of the Rotterdam District Court in March 1985 and Judge of the Joint Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba on 1 October 1986. This Court consists of several Courts of First Instance in Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and a Court of Appeal.