(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat is moving to improve the understanding in Suriname of legislative processes in CARICOM.

From 21-22 November, legal experts within the CARICOM Secretariat will engage legal officials from various government departments in Suriname, in the CARICOM Law and Legislative Drafting Seminar. The seminar is being supported by the European Union, through the European Development Fund.

Targeting those who either draft legislation or advise on the preparation of legislation and the implementation of treaties in Suriname, the Seminar holds dual benefits for both the Surinamese Government and the CARICOM Secretariat.

While responding to Suriname’s expressed need for its legal officials to better appreciate the legislative processes of the common law jurisdictions which comprise the majority of States within the CARICOM, the Seminar also presents the opportunity for the CARICOM Secretariat to gain a better understanding of Suriname’s civil law system and approach to translating policy into law.

The CARICOM Secretariat will also be seeking to devise appropriate strategies to assist Suriname to participate more effectively in the CARICOM’s harmonisation of laws and implementation of treaties agenda which are so crucial to the implementation of the CARICOM’s Single Market and Economy (CSME).

Against this backdrop, the Seminar has, on its agenda, the following topics - an introduction to CARICOM law, procedures and harmonisation; treaties and implementing legislation; translating policy into legislation: the common law perspective; legislative process in common law countries; key legislative principles; and the interpretation of treaties and implementing legislation in common law countries.

Ms. Safiya Ali, General Counsel (Ag.), CARICOM Secretariat; Mr. Dayantha Mendis, Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC) Legislative Drafting Expert; and Ms. Segametsi Mothibatsela, CFTC Legislative Drafting Expert, will represent the CARICOM Secretariat in the legislative capacity building exercise in Suriname