Good morning distinguished invited guests.
May I specifically recognize the Honourable Attorney General of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mrs. Rhondalee Braithwaite-Knowles Queen’s Counsel, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Eugene Otuonye Queens Counsel, the President of the Bar Association, Mrs Oreika Selver-Gardiner, Sir Dennis Byron Former President of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Justice, Chief Justice Dame Janice Pereira of the Eastern Caribbean Court of Justice, the esteemed Faculty and distinguished Presenters at the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute’s Seminar on the introduction of Judicial Case Management in civil and criminal procedure, the Bench and Bar of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
At my invitation issued on behalf of the fledgling Judicial Education Institute of The Turks and Caicos Islands, the Commonwealth Judicial Education Institute (CJEI) has organised this seminar on the introduction of Judicial Case Management for the Judiciary and the legal sector of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
I invited the Halifax-based CJEI to give us this seminar because it has a well-documented track record of providing quality judicial education.
I considered it necessary to have this seminar which is essentially a sensitizing seminar to get the Judiciary and its stakeholders on the same page regarding the need to introduce some reforms.
I am hopeful that at the end of the seminar all stakeholders will be empowered to reorient our perspectives on our work as partners in the delivery of justice. I have no doubt that this seminar will motivate us to work together to ensure greater efficiency in the work of the courts, to introduce strategies aimed at producing cost-effectiveness in litigation, to reduce delays in litigation, to bring some certainty to criminal procedure, and to harness technology for enhanced effectiveness.
I welcome all stakeholders in justice delivery to what I hope will be an engaging discussion on the way forward regarding the judicial process and dispute resolution in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Naturally, I would have preferred to welcome all of you in person, however, operating within our ‘new normal’ introduced by the COVID-19 pandemic as best we can, I am delighted, that you have all accepted my invitation to be a part of this very important seminar which is offered virtually. I thank you for your participation.
I firmly believe in and intend to invest in stakeholder involvement in the introduction of needed reforms in justice delivery. I am therefore hopeful that this three-day seminar will be the first of many such engagements at which we receive information to broaden our horizons towards achieving reform in critical areas of practice and procedure.
At this seminar, participants will be introduced to the proven benefits of judicial case management originally dubbed the “Lord Woolf Reforms”, and other reforms that have introduced measurable standards and greater efficiency in justice delivery, in many commonwealth jurisdictions.
I am hopeful that the discussions that follow the presentations will be frank, open and constructive.
When I received the program for the seminar, I could not keep the smile off my face for the best part of the day. I was gratified that the CJEI holds the Judiciary of the Turks and Caicos Islands in such esteem, that it had put out what could only be described as its best. The learned and very distinguished Faculty and Presenters, describable in common parlance as “star-studded”, will no doubt keep us well informed of proven, effective strategies in case management.
We shall be treated to a panoply of possibilities as we are made familiar with the process and the benefits of the introduction of judicial case management, through presentations from the Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, The Honourable Dame Janice Pereira, DBE, The Honourable Mr. Justice Kokaram of the Court of Appeal of Trinidad and Tobago. and Mr. Ruggles Ferguson, President of the Organisation of Commonwealth Caribbean Bar Associations.
Tomorrow will present another exciting chapter, as we discuss the impact and importance of the concept of the ‘overriding objective’ of the judicial process. We shall be sensitized on the benefits of introducing measurable performance standards. Justice Jamadar of the Caribbean Court of Justice, and Sir Dennis Byron, former President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, will be presenting.
On Friday, our intellectual feast continues with a discussion on the vision for leveraging technology to support the judicial function. Sir Dennis Byron will again join us on Friday, together with The Honourable Mrs. Justice Indira Francis of the Industrial Court of the Bahamas and Mr. Bevil Wooding, Executive Director of Apex, a software company that provides e-filing solutions.
Our discussions will be moderated by The President of CJEI, The Honourable Mr. Justice Madan Lokur retired judge of the highest court of India, Supreme Court of India.
My hope is that by the end of this seminar, all stakeholders will be on-board with the prospect of the introduction of judicial case management into our Rules of Court, and Criminal Procedure Rules, for increased efficiency in justice delivery, with accountability, speed, fairness and cost-effectiveness as its overriding objective.
I look forward to lively, informed discussions at this seminar.
Thank you CJEI once again for supporting the Judiciary of Turks and Caicos Islands.
My special thanks and gratitude go to Judge Sandra Oxner of CJEI, who working with Sir Dennis Byron made this seminar possible.
I thank you very much, Bench and Bar.
I now yield to the Honourable Attorney General.
