Judiciary’s service delivery must “rise to the occasion” – Chancellor on rising need for justice

…7-year strategic plan launched
…more specialised courts to be added

By Feona Morrison

The Judiciary must adapt to meet the growing demands for justice, Chancellor of the Judiciary (ag), Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, has said on Tuesday. She made this remark while addressing the opening of the Law Year 2024 and the launch of the Supreme Court of Judicature’s Strategic Plan 2024-2031.
She said the Judiciary is constantly aware of the work that has to be done, and does not take its responsibilities lightly.
“The public whom we serve must be given the best. We live in a dynamic environment, in a country that is rapidly expanding.”
Justice Cummings-Edwards added. “If you look around, you will see investments, you will see expansion, you will see an economic boom, you will see transformation in all spheres of life. What you wouldn’t see, unless we tell you, is that the demand for justice is growing. Our service delivery must therefore rise to the occasion,” she emphasised.
She has urged the public to read, scrutinize, and study the judiciary’s Strategic Plan. She pointed out that the Judiciary’s team is pursuing service excellence by investing in technology, management systems, and human resources in order to keep up with the demands for justice.
She said Guyana has had eight magisterial districts since the establishment of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) in 1951. The JSC is a constitutional body tasked with managing matters pertaining to the appointment, discipline, removal, and promotion of judicial officers.

Increase in judicial officers
“Since 1951, Guyana has grown so much that there is the need to expand not only these districts, but the services that we offer in these districts, to better serve the people of Guyana. And in this regard, the [JSC] has increased the complement of magistrates to discharge the business of the courts, and for the expeditious disposal [of matters] and to relieve congestion in the courts,” she detailed.
“So, we now welcome the post of Deputy Chief Magistrate, four additional positions of Principal Magistrate, with one Principal Magistrate being in each district. Georgetown will be having two Principal Magistrates, four additional positions of Senior Magistrate, and 10 additional positions of Magistrate,” she detailed.
“(There will be) two additional positions of Commissioner of Title. A Commissioner of Title will be placed in Berbice shortly, and one also will be placed in Essequibo,” she further detailed.
The Chancellor also said the composition of the clerical and administrative staff of the Magistracy has been increased.

New magisterial district and courts’ expansion
“We have also started work on the East Bank Demerara (EBD) corridor, which falls under the Georgetown Magisterial District, to create a separate magisterial district for the East Bank. It will soon enjoy its own boundaries and its own jurisdiction. We are working with the Guyana Lands and Survey Commission and other stakeholders, including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Guyana Police Force, to demarcate the areas that will comprise this new district, and to have the survey and necessary plans drawn. Upon completion, this will be gazetted and published,” the Chancellor disclosed.
Although other plans exist, this year’s focus will be on the Magistrates’ Courts, which the Chancellor referred to as the “engine room of our justice system.” She pointed out that over 90 percent of all criminal cases are dealt with in the Magistrates’ Courts.
“You would have noticed us turning sod last year for the construction of a number of Magistrates’ Courts around Guyana. In Anna Regina particularly, on the Essequibo Coast; in Timehri and Friendship on the East Bank of Demerara, I am happy to report that the Central Government has provided the necessary funding for the construction and furnishing of these courts,” she said.
She said that construction of Magistrates’ Courts has commenced at Mahaicony and Cove and John, both on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). They are expected to be completed this year.
Magistrates’ Courts are also slated to be completed this year at Port Kaituma, Mabaruma and Mahdia, she said, adding that their openings are slated for the end of the first quarter.
Moreover, she disclosed that the physical expansion of the Court of Appeal of Guyana will be completed shortly, in order to accommodate the increased number of Judges.
The Bill to increase the number of Justices of Appeal to at least nine was passed last April in the National Assembly.
“Our building has been a small one, with just one courtroom. With the extension, we have an additional courtroom, nine chambers for Judges, court registries, vault, and other amenities. So, we will be having two courts now for the hearing of appeals, instead of one. And we propose to have civil and criminal matters being heard simultaneously,” she disclosed.
This year, she said, will see the construction of Magistrates’ Courts at Providence, EBD and at La Parfaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara (WBD). The expansion of the housing drive and new roadways has seen communities being developed along these areas, the Chancellor pointed out. She continued by saying, “We are duty bound to bring justice closer to the people.”
In addition to the citizens’ legal needs and the obligation to uphold the rule of law and offer access to justice, more specialised courts will be added to the Magistracy.
“We intend this year to develop a Mental Health Court. We will have Magistrates sitting full-time to do the Coroner’s Inquest, because there has been a huge backlog. Specialised domestic violence and family violence courts will also be in all the magisterial districts. We will extend our Drug Treatment Court to other districts,” Justice Cummings-Edwards revealed.

Staff training
She said that because the legal system is always changing, and necessitates that we be lifelong learners, court staff will continue to receive continuous training this year.
“Everyone will be trained: Magistrates, Judges, clerical and support staff, administrative and IT [information technology],” she promised.
“Cybercrime, human trafficking, artificial intelligence (AI), court technology, family and domestic violence, climate change and environmental law are a few of the topics to be covered in the training and further training, she disclosed.
The responsibility for creating training materials falls with the Judicial Education Institute. (G1)