Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet has broken his silence following the Caribbean Court of Justice’s dismissal of his appeal in the long-running “Land-Rover Matter,” continuing to voice his dissatisfaction despite the region’s highest court bringing the dispute to a close.
The CCJ, in its October 15th ruling, described the appeal as “legally misconceived” and “an unnecessary consumption of judicial resources,” dismissing Chastanet’s challenge to the withdrawal of criminal proceedings once filed against Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Ernest Hilaire in violation of section 102 of the Customs Act.
Speaking on the sidelines of the October 28th sitting of Parliament, Chastanet expressed disappointment on behalf of the public.
“The persons that I’m so disappointed for is for the public. Remember this was a request for leave. Means that we were requesting permission of the courts to have a judicial review to ask the controller of customs to explain why he made the decisions that he made. And so, the case has not been adjudicated on, meaning that the evidence of the case has never come before the court,” he said.
Chastanet stressed the importance of judicial review as a tool for accountability.
“But the courts decided they would not give us permission to have the judicial review. So, I’m very disappointed for the People of St. Lucia because the judicial review is one of the few remaining avenues that any citizen has to hold its government accountable and to hold the officials accountable for the decisions they’re making on our behalf,” he stated.
The opposition leader continued to criticize the lack of response from government officials.
“It’s very disappointing and sadly the minister still has not answered the question. I can’t believe the extent people have gone through to prevent him from answering those questions. But it’s a sad day for the citizens of this country,” Chastanet said.
The dispute, which dates back to late 2021, originated when Chastanet filed a High Court claim against the Comptroller of Customs, challenging the withdrawal of customs violation proceedings initiated against Dr. Hilaire. The CCJ’s ruling effectively concluded the legal chapter, but Chastanet’s comments indicate that the political debate surrounding the case may persist.