Maroc - NEWSDAY.CO.TT - A la Une - 14/Oct 04:27

Tancoo announces judicial reforms, constitutional right to timely justice

Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo announced key reforms to the Judiciary during his presentation of the 2026 national budget, pledging to make justice more efficient, transparent, and accessible. Tancoo said a new Judiciary Chancellor will oversee case management to improve efficiency, allowing the Chief Justice to focus on jurisprudence. The reforms aim to strengthen the justice system’s leadership and reduce case backlogs, he said on October 13. Part of the plan also includes an expansion of court facilities. The initiative includes enshrining a constitutional right to a timely trial, a move Tancoo described as “a cornerstone of democratic justice.” Victim support services will also be expanded to include restitution programmes, job placement assistance, and housing opportunities for victims of crime. Tancoo further announced that the Director of the Public Prosecutions and the Public Defenders' offices will receive increased funding and staffing to improve access to legal representation. “For the first time, the administration of justice will be given the priority it so desperately needs but was so desperately lacking,” Tancoo said. In is address for the new law term, last month, Chief Justice Ivor Archie responded to the government’s proposal to appoint a Judiciary Chancellor to manage the day-to-day logistics of the courts. “Until a concrete proposal, we should not speculate,” Archie said, but noted that the Judiciary already has what he described as a “silent chancellor” who performs similar functions. In July, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said her government was considering introducing a Judiciary Chancellor. She explained that while the chief justice would remain head of the Judiciary, the new officeholder would oversee court administration, allowing the chief justice to focus on managing legal cases and judicial officers. The Judiciary is in a difficult place, she noted. Archie stressed that the Judiciary had not adopted a position on the matter. However, he said, until there was a concrete proposal to discuss, that included who appoints this person, to whom they report, what their job description is, “we are in the realm of speculation.” He urged, “What I can usefully do at this stage, to inform public discussion, is explain what court administration is, its purpose and why that function has evolved within the judiciary in most developed democracies,” he said, suggesting that the judiciary already had a “silent chancellor,” in the form of the court administrator. “Several people have approached me, some with consternation, about the idea of a Lord Chancellor for the judiciary,” he said. “I suspect that it’s because the title carries a great deal of historical value. The Prime Minister has offered to support the judiciary’s administration, which is not, in itself, a bad thing.” He explained that the court administrator already handles day-to-day operations and is a lawyer appointed by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission, answerable to the chief justice. “So in a sense we already have a silent chancellor,” Archie said. “A moment’s reflection will reveal that this has major implications for the administration of the judiciary, that is, court administration as distinct from the administration of justice, a broader concept with which it is often unfortunately confused. “The administration of justice relies on several stakeholders and must involve harmonious collaboration between the executive and judicial branches of the State. “However, judicial business cannot be separated from the administration of the judiciary.” He acknowledged a shared desire for improvements. “There is a shared desire to see the administration of justice operate more effectively and efficiently, and we should welcome the right type of help,” he said. The chief justice pointed out that the restructuring proposal must be understood within Trinidad and Tobago’s constitutional framework. “The role of chancellor in other countries is different to what is proposed because of TT’s constitutional arrangement,” he said, noting that in England, the Lord Chancellor is a member of the executive. “So all of these things are things that have to be considered,” Archie added. “One of the good things about a healthy democracy is the mechanism for arriving at a broad consensus or acceptable outcome, even where unanimity of opinion cannot be achieved. Views will differ, but what is important is an informed way where all views are given a respectful hearing, and I expect that to happen. “We have to work out what this means,” he said. “Court administration and administration of justice are separate. Judicial business cannot be separated from the judiciary.” Archie concluded, “I do not think what is proposed is intrusive, but that there is a sheer desire to ensure administration is actively and efficiently.” The post Tancoo announces judicial reforms, constitutional right to timely justice appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.