4 digital notice boards launched at G/Town Magistrates’ Courts

…“Persons coming to the court will find access to justice a bit easier” – Chancellor

Technology usually found at the airports is now at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts. In an effort to advance access to justice and transform the judicial landscape, the Judiciary, on Monday, launched four digital notice boards at the courthouse.

The initiative is the fruition of a partnership between the Judiciary of Guyana and the Canada-funded Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project. The software for the electronic notice boards was developed by a local provider to integrate seamlessly with the new case management system project being developed for the local Judiciary by the National Centre for State Courts, a US-based organisation. Information will be entered into the notice boards daily by the staff of the court which is headed by the Principal Clerk of Court, Sharon Correia.

User-friendly
Delivering the feature address was Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, who said that the notice boards will assist court users with knowing the status of their cases and navigating the court’s precinct.
With the electronic notice boards, the Chancellor said that members of the public, Police, lawyers, litigants and the media will be able to see matters at a glance.
She explained that the notice boards are user-friendly and attract the attention of the court user easily. The head of the Judiciary added that the use of the notice boards will reduce the time spent ascertaining in which court a particular matter is or which Magistrate is presiding over the matter. She said it will prevent court users from being late or having to ask a court staff or someone from the court superintendent’s office about information relating to their matter.

“Persons coming to the court will find access to justice a bit easier for them. We in the justice system seek to develop facilities for persons who are challenged, persons who are indigent, and unrepresented persons. So, persons coming to the court for the first time unaided will benefit from the notice boards,” the Chancellor added.
According to Justice Cummings-Edwards, the case management system project and the notice boards will be “rolled out” in April of this year.

Opened for business
Declaring that the “Judiciary is opened for business”, she said, “New courts will be constructed this year, especially in the unserved areas. And new courts will be built and opened next year. Already, the Attorney General [Anil Nandlall] has identified land in the La Parfaite Harmonie [West Bank Demerara] area for us and we will be conducting a site visit shortly. And thereafter the necessary plans will be made for us to have another summary court in that area.”

Key mechanism
Meanwhile, Canadian High Commissioner to Guyana and Suriname Mark Berman noted that information technology is a key mechanism for increasing access to justice in areas such as the recording of court cases and virtual hearings for trial.
Although information technology is an essential tool, if not handled efficiently and with commitment, he cautioned that it may instead frustrate measures at modernisation. In light of this, he pointed out that is the duty of any proactive Judiciary, to prepare to meet these challenges since the main business of the Judiciary is to hear and determine cases in a fair and timely manner at a reasonable cost.
Berman said, “And in doing so, the processes that lead to the conclusion of cases, must be efficient, effective, and equitable.” The diplomat explained that the modern approach to delivering justice requires the balancing of various objectives of the justice system given the scarcity of resources and cash-strapped societies. He also said that justice must be available to all who seek it while adding that the processes must not be exclusionary, discriminatory, or show partiality to any class of litigants.

Lagging
The High Commissioner informed that the ceremonial nature of law has never been synonymous, particularly with advanced technology and electronics. In reality, Berman informed that courtrooms have somewhat lagged when it comes to modern technology. He shared, “I myself recall spending hundreds of hours photocopying thousands of pages of legal precedent in preparation for court. It was many years after I graduated from law school that law students, young lawyers, and senior legal practitioners did their own photocopying, were able to access case laws online.”
While highlighting that the judicial system has been hesitant to embrace the constant technological advancement seen in other sectors, he said that increasingly, the legal profession has begun to leverage technology to enhance the delivery of services.

Great urgency
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, JURIST has been engaging with regional judiciaries to address case flow management and court administration challenges with great urgency. A major component of the project is to address delay and backlog which directly affect the efficiency of the Judiciary to resolve cases in a timely manner and serve those who are the most vulnerable in society.
And according to Berman, Guyana’s Judiciary has benefited significantly under this component as a result of the pandemic. He disclosed that the Guyanese public has been benefiting from the public education guidance on accessing court services while following the new practises required by public health officials.
Apart from the Chancellor and Canadian High Commissioner, other attendees at the simple ceremony included Attorney General Anil Nandlall, SC; Director of Public Prosecutions Shalimar Ali-Hack, SC; Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George, SC; and other Judges of the Supreme Court; Registrar of the Supreme Court Suenna Lovell; Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and other Magistrates; President of the Guyana Bar Association Pauline Chase; JURIST Project Manager, Gloria Richards-Johnson; Head of the Court Superintendent Office, Assistant Superintendent of Police Shellon Daniels and Commissioner of Police Nigel Hoppie.