The newly created Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has set Nov. 7 as the date to hear the full arguments in its first case. The court agreed on Monday to hear an appeal from the Voice of Barbados radio station against a ruling of the Barbados high court in a defamation suit. The Barbados court struck out the defence by VOB against the claim by MacDonald Farms that it had aired three calypsos during the 1989 Crop Over festival which severely damaged the reputation of the chicken processing firm. Bond set The CCJ panel of president Michael De La Bastide and four other judges on Tuesday ordered VOB to place a US$20,000 bond to ensure that costs are paid during the appeal. The Trinidad-based court was created four months ago and is designed to be the final court of appeal for most of the UK's former colonies in the Caribbean. However, only Barbados and Guyana have formally adopted the new court in in its civil and criminal jurisdiction. Final appeals in the two countries have traditionally been referred to the Privy Council in London, made up of members of the UK's House of Lords. A number of other countries are in the process of adopting the court, but have been held up both by procedural problems with approving the enabling legislation needed for membership of the CCJ. Some opposition parties also say the judges could be brought under political influence more easily than the British law lords. The CCJ will also adjudicate disputes in the Caribbean single trading market which is due to start operating next year. Reprinted from bbccaribbean.com