Government Will Continue to Strengthen and Modernise Justice System
By: , February 15, 2018The Key Point:
The Facts
- “The Administration has already indicated that the Legislative and Constitutional Reform Programme is among the seven priority programmes and projects set out in the Ministry of Justice’s Strategic Business Plan 2018-2021 and Operational Plan 2018/19,” he said.
- The Governor-General said the legislative agenda will include the Authentication (Foreign Public Documents) Bill 2017, which allows for Jamaica to accede to the United Nations Convention that will allow public documents from Jamaica to be accepted in other countries.
The Full Story
For the 2018/19 fiscal year, the Government will continue to strengthen and modernise the justice system.
Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, provided details during his 2018/19 Throne Speech in Parliament on February 15.
“The Administration has already indicated that the Legislative and Constitutional Reform Programme is among the seven priority programmes and projects set out in the Ministry of Justice’s Strategic Business Plan 2018-2021 and Operational Plan 2018/19,” he said.
The Governor-General said the legislative agenda will include the Authentication (Foreign Public Documents) Bill 2017, which allows for Jamaica to accede to the United Nations Convention that will allow public documents from Jamaica to be accepted in other countries.
He said the Statutory Review of the Sexual Offences Act; the Constitution (Amendment) (Appointment of Additional Judges) Act, 2017 and Judicature (Parish Courts) (Amendment) Act, 2017, which aim to amend the Constitution to enable the retention of retired judges on a fixed-term basis; and the Judicature (Resident Magistrates) (Amendment) Bill and Judicature (Appellate Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill, which allow the prosecution to have a limited right of appeal, will also be brought to the House.
The Governor-General said the Administration’s programme will contribute to the achievement of a modernised justice system, which Jamaicans deserve, starting with reducing the backlog of indictments and summary matters in the Parish Courts, improving the delivery of justice services in eight additional parishes through Justice Centres by 2019, and establishing the single anti-corruption agency.
“The Justice Ministry will also work with the courts and the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to increase the number of staff in the courts, to increase efficiency and effectiveness,” he said.
The Throne Speech was delivered under the theme ‘Continuing on the Path to Prosperity’.