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Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Judge Peter Jamadar has complained that he feels “targeted, harassed and bullied” following enquiries into his activities outside the regional court and the questioning of his assigned administrative officer, according to a report by the Trinidad Express published on October 11. The complaint was outlined in a six-page email Jamadar sent on September 4 to CCJ President Winston Anderson, the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC), fellow judges and court staff. The newspaper said three people familiar with the court verified the correspondence. Jamadar alleged that information about his activities had been sought through his administrative officer, Candace Simmons-Peters, without his knowledge. He questioned the authority under which the CCJ president or registrar sought information about his non-court commitments from an employee assigned to him. According to the report, Jamadar said Simmons-Peters was questioned separately on September 1 by CCJ information systems manager Ayinde Burgess and later by Anderson. The questioning was reportedly connected to an investigation into a leak to the press and possible breaches of confidentiality. Jamadar further alleged that Simmons-Peters was asked about her access to his files, documents prepared for judges' meetings, communications with him and her working hours. He also said she was required to surrender her CCJ-assigned computer for examination. The judge expressed particular concern about what he described as questions concerning Trinidad and Tobago's Computer Misuse Act and the possible consequences of breaching it. He alleged that Anderson referred to a potential two-year prison sentence while indicating that the investigation into the leak would continue. In his correspondence, Jamadar characterised the actions as an alleged abuse of power and administrative overreach. He raised concerns about privacy, due process and protection under the law, and requested that the relevant authorities identify the legal and institutional basis for the enquiries. The complaint comes amid an existing dispute over the CCJ's administration. The Trinidad Express reported that five of the court's six sitting judges had previously challenged aspects of Anderson's leadership, including concerns about administrative practices and allegations of judicial panel manipulation. Anderson rejected the panel-fixing allegations in a statement issued on August 14, describing them as untrue. He has maintained that changes to judicial panels were administrative and were not intended to influence case outcomes. The newspaper reported that an investigation into the panel-related controversy had been initiated, but no outcome had been reported by the CCJ or the RJLSC in the material provided. Jamadar's latest complaint raises further questions about the handling of internal enquiries and the boundaries of administrative authority within the regional court. The allegations remain attributed to Jamadar; the supplied report does not establish that they have been independently proven.
Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Judge Peter Jamadar has complained that he feels “targeted, harassed and bullied” following enquiries into his activities outside the regional court and the questioning of his assigned administrative officer, according to a report by the Trinidad Express published on October 11.
The complaint was outlined in a six-page email Jamadar sent on September 4 to CCJ President Winston Anderson, the Regional Judicial and Legal Services Commission (RJLSC), fellow judges and court staff. The newspaper said three people familiar with the court verified the correspondence.
Jamadar alleged that information about his activities had been sought through his administrative officer, Candace Simmons-Peters, without his knowledge. He questioned the authority under which the CCJ president or registrar sought information about his non-court commitments from an employee assigned to him.
According to the report, Jamadar said Simmons-Peters was questioned separately on September 1 by CCJ information systems manager Ayinde Burgess and later by Anderson. The questioning was reportedly connected to an investigation into a leak to the press and possible breaches of confidentiality.
Jamadar further alleged that Simmons-Peters was asked about her access to his files, documents prepared for judges’ meetings, communications with him and her working hours. He also said she was required to surrender her CCJ-assigned computer for examination.
The judge expressed particular concern about what he described as questions concerning Trinidad and Tobago’s Computer Misuse Act and the possible consequences of breaching it. He alleged that Anderson referred to a potential two-year prison sentence while indicating that the investigation into the leak would continue.
In his correspondence, Jamadar characterised the actions as an alleged abuse of power and administrative overreach. He raised concerns about privacy, due process and protection under the law, and requested that the relevant authorities identify the legal and institutional basis for the enquiries.
The complaint comes amid an existing dispute over the CCJ’s administration. The Trinidad Express reported that five of the court’s six sitting judges had previously challenged aspects of Anderson’s leadership, including concerns about administrative practices and allegations of judicial panel manipulation. Anderson rejected the panel-fixing allegations in a statement issued on August 14, describing them as untrue. He has maintained that changes to judicial panels were administrative and were not intended to influence case outcomes.
The newspaper reported that an investigation into the panel-related controversy had been initiated, but no outcome had been reported by the CCJ or the RJLSC in the material provided. Jamadar’s latest complaint raises further questions about the handling of internal enquiries and the boundaries of administrative authority within the regional court. The allegations remain attributed to Jamadar; the supplied report does not establish that they have been independently proven.
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