CHIEF Justice Ivor Archie has said he is contemplating establishing an ombudsman in the Judiciary to account for the work it is doing.
In his address at the ceremonial opening of the 2024/2025 law term at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), Port of Spain, on September 20, Archie gave an account of the Judiciary’s accomplishments in the last year.
He also said major infrastructural work at several courthouses, particularly those in San Fernando, was expected to be completed in 2025, and hit back at the Judiciary’s critics.
The most recent criticism came from the Prime Minister at a ceremony after the Independence Day parade on August 31, when Dr Rowley asserted criminals were not afraid of the Judiciary.
Before that, at a political meeting, he also hit out at the Judiciary.
“Sometimes you get the impression that members of the Judiciary don’t know what is going on in Trinidad and Tobago, because people appear before them and all of a sudden, they become the bleeding heart for the criminals who will kill you without batting an eyelid.”
However on Friday, Archie said, “I know that on the issue of accountability, some members of the public feel that there is a disconnect between the decision-makers in the Judiciary and those experiencing the effects of crime.
“I can’t address bail and sentencing in this forum, other than to say that maybe it is that we are not doing a good enough job of explaining how we need to balance individual and societal rights...
“What I will say is that over the next few months, our continuing education programme will be addressing the anatomy of crime and gang.”
This, he said, was why he was contemplating a Judiciary ombudsman, who would not be involved in litigation but address issues raised by the public.
Archie also said the Judiciary was refining its reporting and the reporting period, “so that more information will be available on a regular and periodic basis,” as raw numbers did not always give the whole story.
He also said of critical importance to the Judiciary was the retention of public trust and confidence in the administration of justice and broader stakeholder engagement.
“And we have had several initiatives. We listened, we dialogued, we invited persons to look at our processes.”
On court facilities, he spoke of some of the challenges faced by the Judiciary. While the Family Court building in San Fernando was expected to be opened this year, he did not expect to get the staff it needed in time.
“We cannot run a Judiciary with judicial officers alone.”
Some 100 courtrooms at various courts around TT are expected to be upgraded with special litigation- and evidence-management software. This project is 20 per cent complete.
“The nation can look forward to the courts being reopened in the last quarter of 2025, or early 2026.”
Work on the Port of Spain district court continues. The first phase is 75 per cent complete, and the second phase requires Cabinet approval for additional funding. He admitted some of the projects, including t
