The main courtroom in the Courthouse of Curaçao.
WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG--May 1, 2019, marked the 150th anniversary of the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten and of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. In the coming weeks, the four Joint Court branches will be celebrating this event in various ways with colleagues and invited guests.
The official celebration of the Joint Court’s anniversary will be taking place on Friday, May 3, with a symposium at the University of Curaçao.
Speakers during the symposium are former Joint Court Presidents Lisbeth Hoefdraad and Jaime Saleh, who will be speaking about the development of the Court during the years they were in function.
Also, Vice-Dean of the Bar Association of Aruba Johan Sjiem Fat will be speaking about “Why the books of V.S. Naipaul should be read,” and former Ombudsman of St. Maarten Nilda Arduin will be giving a lecture about the Constitutional Court of St. Maarten.
Main guest speaker at the symposium is professor Marc Loth who will be sketching “Seven scenarios in the life of a 150-year-old.”
The symposium is accessible to invited guests only, but can be followed free of charge via the university’s website https://www.uoc.cw/stream from 2:00pm to 5:30pm. The symposium can also be followed via live streaming at the Universities of Aruba and St. Maarten.
In honour of the 150th anniversary, the Joint Court’s Art Committee will be presenting an exhibition of artwork made by the Court’s staff. The exhibition in the Court’s hallway is accessible to visitors from Monday, May 6.
In connection with the celebrations, the Joint Court’s branches will be having adapted opening hours. The front office of the Court in Curaçao will be opened on May 3, 8:00am-10:00am and 1:30pm-3:00pm. The operation and management department (“administratie”) will be open 10:00am-12:00pm.
The Court of First Instance in Aruba will be closed today, Thursday, May 2, from 12:00pm, and the Court’s branch in Bonaire will be closed on Friday, May 3.
