Chancellor unveils ambitious 7-year plan to revolutionise justice system

Jan 11, 2024 News

Kaieteur News – The Supreme Court of Judicature earlier this week unveiled a transformative seven-year strategic plan designed to revolutionise and elevate the standard of justice and judicial administration.

The Hon. Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, OR, CCH, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag.)

During her address at the launch of Law Year 2024, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag) emphasized that the plan aligns with universally accepted core values such as independence, integrity, fairness, competence, transparency, accessibility, certainty, timeliness, and equality. She highlighted that this strategic initiative is not merely about having a plan but focuses on execution and accountability. “So the strategic plan and the management of it will help us to meet our performance goals. It will help us to be more efficient and effective in the work we do and the service we deliver. It underscores accountability and it engenders public trust and confidence in the justice system when a judiciary is accountable to the people,” she said.

“We have set targets to be achieved, and you will be able to judge us you will tell us how well we are doing or not doing, what needs tweaking and you will provide necessary feedback because we are accountable to you. For me, it’s not just having the plan only it is the strategy and the execution of the plan. You will be given copies of it and it will be on our website, you will be able to see it, read it embrace it,” the chancellor said.

Outlined in the Strategic Framework for 2024-2031 are eight comprehensive objectives, ranging from strengthening court leadership and enhancing access to justice to optimizing the use of financial and material resources. The Chancellor, in a message within the document, expressed the honour of presenting the first Strategic Plan for Guyana’s Judiciary. The overarching theme, “Pursuing Service Excellence Through Investment in Human Resources, Management Systems and Technology” underscores the need to align court performance with internationally recognized standards, she said. “The plan reflects our commitment to universally accepted core values and aims to join the ranks of esteemed courts as a member of the International Consortium on Court Excellence,” asserted the Chancellor.

Acknowledging the contributions of key individuals and the Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project for funding the plan, the Chancellor emphasised the Judiciary’s unwavering dedication to pursuing excellence.

Delivering featured remarks at the event, Justice Adrian Saunders, President of the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), praised the meticulousness and care embedded in the strategic plan. “Fortunately, I have every confidence that given the present leadership of the Guyana’s judiciary, this strategic plan will be used as an important guide to action. Moreover, I’ve looked at the document, and I’ve seen the care and thoroughness that went into its preparation,” he said.

He highlighted its significance in guiding future actions and shaping the trajectory of Guyana’s judiciary. “It is a comprehensive assessment of where the judiciary is at this time and where it wants to be in seven years and the steps it will take to arrive at that destination. I therefore, warmly congratulate Chancellor, the members of a strategic planning team and everyone was played a part in contributing to and in shaping this excellent plan,” Justice Saunders said. He stressed the pivotal role of a strategic plan in measuring public trust and confidence, emphasizing its necessity for a systematic approach and likening its absence to a ship adrift without direction.

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Chancellor of the Judiciary (Ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, Law Year 2024, strategic, Supreme Court of Judicature

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