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Achieving judicial modernization… Public should have a certain level of accessibility to the Courts – Acting Chancellor
By Rehanna Ramsay
Fair and impartial judgments delivered in a timely manner are characteristics of any efficient judicial system. As such, efforts to improve Guyana’s judicial proficiency have been continuous.
Acting Chancellor, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards
Within the past several years, Guyana’s judicial system has been subject to a major overhaul. The nation has benefited from millions of dollars from foreign investors in this regard.
The Inter-American Development Bank and the Canadian Government have funded projects towards the cause. However, with the implementation of two important aspects of the modernization project – the realisation of the Civil Procedure Rule (CPR) 2016 and the introduction of the voice recognition system in the court – the need for an additional workforce to aid the judiciary has taken centre stage.
In an interview with this newspaper, the recently sworn-in Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, noted that while the work is moving apace to ensure that Guyanese have a justice system that is efficient and accessible, an important component to consider is the creation of key posts and departments which serve the needs of the judiciary.
Justice Cummings-Edwards explained that the need for personnel such as judicial research assistants and other additional staff – which will assist the judiciary in attaining modernisation at the administrative level – is being looked at.
Judicial research assistants aid Judges in handing down their decisions in a timely manner, to resolve court matters within the shortest space of time.
But accessibility is essential to ensuring accountability and transparency in any organisation, including the Courts.
The newly-appointed Acting Chancellor therefore believes that there is a certain level of accessibility that members of the public should have to the Courts.
She noted, however, that it is has been long established that Jurists are not at liberty to speak with members of the public; the media in particular.
“We have (therefore) noted the need for personnel to deal with the public and press on issues surrounding the judiciary. Therefore the post for a Protocol and Communications Officer of the Judiciary has been created,” the Chancellor said.
Justice Cummings-Edwards said that as part of their responsibility, a suitable candidate must ensure all matters relating to the welfare of Judges are handled expeditiously and professionally.
According to the information obtained by this newspaper, the list of responsibilities for a Protocol and Communications Officer includes developing and understanding the internal workings of the Courts; providing customer service representation and advising and assisting the Court in dealing with protocol issues to ensure that access to justice is done with an emphasis on courtesy and respect.
In the last few months, efforts have been ongoing to improve the effectiveness of the Court. These include the aforementioned implementation of Civil Procedure Rules 2016 and the voice recognition systems.
The CPR is the most important development in judicial administration since 1970 when Guyana abolished appeals to the Privy Council and established the Court of Appeal headed by the Chancellor.
The new rules are for the simplification of the litigation process and represent a major step towards reducing the number of cases which go to court, as well as curbing long delays in the hearing of civil litigation cases.
The process will introduce new techniques to achieve that objective.
Meanwhile, the voice recognition systems, which would put an end to the need for judges to write notes in longhand has been in operation since the opening of the new session of the Demerara Criminal Assizes.
This digital feature is currently being implemented at the Georgetown Supreme Court. The new system installed in the courtroom of the acting Chief Justice, is said to have significantly eased the burden on judicial officers with regards to recording the end of trials.
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