Justice Indra Hariprashad-Charles, who is to leave the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Jan. 6 to serve on the Supreme Court of the Bahamas, praised the Virgin Islands’ judicial system in a recent interview and in the formal close of the criminal Assizes last week.
“I’m glad for the experience that I had in the British Virgin Islands,” the justice told the Beacon. “As sad as it is to leave, there comes a time where you must go, and I’ve reached that time.”
Ms. Hariprashad-Charles, who has presided over the High Court and Commercial Court in this territory after serving as a court registrar and justice in St. Lucia, said international commercial litigants often fight to have their cases heard here.
“Persons are very happy to have the BVI as a natural forum to hear their case, as opposed to some other forum,” she said, calling the Commercial Court a success. “I found that very positive, where lawyers are challenging, ‘No, we need the BVI; we want the case to be heard in the BVI.’”
Lawyers from around the world see the VI justice system as “quicker” and “more efficient” than other jurisdictions, she said, adding that litigants and lawyers fly from around the world for Commercial Court proceedings.
See the Dec. 21, 2011 edition for full coverage.