High level meetings with justice

officials underway

Press Release 

Paula Llewellyn;Director of Public Prosecution,  and the Minister of Justice  the Hon. Delroy Chuck.

From Left: Deputy Directors of Public Prosecution: Jeremy Taylor, Diahann Gordon Harrison; Minister of Justice, Hon. Delroy Chuck; Director of Public Prosecution, Paula Llewellyn; Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Dirk Harrison. (Photos by: Kahmile Reid)

JULY 9, 2011 - Several high level meetings with key stakeholders in the justice system are on the new Justice Minister's agenda for the next three to four weeks.

Minister Delroy Chuck who was sworn in on July 5, 2011 has essentially hit the ground running in his first week as he has already met with the staff of the Ministry's head office on Oxford Road. Additionally, Minister Chuck met with the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms. Paula Llewellyn; the Solicitor General, Mr. Douglas Leys and head of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), Mr. Terrence Williams.

“It is important that I meet with these persons at this stage of my tenure as I need to know their concerns and challenges in order to address them. I am taking a collaborative and consultative approach toward addressing these concerns; I believe this approach will set the right tone going forward.” 

Chief among the issues discussed with Ms Llewellyn is the need to establish some interim protocol with INDECOM in a bid to have the Commission proceed with some aspects of its work. There were also discussions on the issues of remuneration for crown prosecutors as well as the need increase the number of prosecutors, case backlog, the Coroner’s Court

Mr. Chuck is also slated to meet with the Chief Justice, the Hon. Zailia McCalla O.J. and the President of the Bar Association, Mr. Ian Wilkinson.

He pointed out that in many respects, he does not intend to re-invent the wheel as he is, to an extent, satisfied with some of the progammes and policies that the Ministry has been working on or has in place.

One of the priority issues to be discussed in these meetings include, clearing the case backlog.

“We have to look at the backlog, we need to ensure that we have more timely and speedy delivery of justice, I plan to engage the RMs, the judges to see how best we can deal with this backlog. When I look at the figures more new cases are coming to the courts than cases being disposed of on an annual basis. That is priority for me.”

Further, the Minister said some of the other issues up for discussion include the implementation of a social component to the delivery of justice, improved access to justice through further increasing the number of judges, strengthening legal aid service delivery and establishing a sound court infrastructure.

Ms Llewellyn, who attended the meeting with six of her deputies, said her office was quite happy to have accepted the invitation of the Minister to meet with him to discuss areas of mutual concern and to chart a way forward. “This will enable all of us as partners in the administration of justice to make sure that we craft and implement strategies that will enhance the operational deficiencies of the administration of justice in the public interest.

 “We stand ready, as we have in the past, in the present, and in the future, to continue serving the public interest and to do our professional best to deliver quality service to Jamaica,” Ms Llewellyn said.

“Based on the recommendations of the Justice Reform Task Force, the Ministry has begun to institute many programmes and policies that will greatly assist in the clearing of the backlog as well as restore trust and confidence in the justice system. It has to be an effort on the part of all stakeholders in the justice system, at all levels,” the Justice Minister said.