WARNING THAT the administration of justice in Barbados was at a very low ebb, Opposition MP Edmund Hinkson is urging Government to introduce legislation to accelerate the delivery of court judgements.
The St James North representative, a practising attorney, made the call yesterday as the House of Assembly debated the Magistrate’s Court (Amendment) Bill 2016.
“I think that the time has come for this Government to bring before this Parliament a Limitation Of Time Period For Rendering of Judicial Decisions Act,” he said.
Hinkson said Guyana had introduced such legislation which compelled judges to deliver decisions within six months of their cases ending.
“We as the political directorate have to lead the way and if the judges don’t give their decisions, put some time limits on them by way of legislation. This is a major problem; these are the issues that we need to address.”
But he said the problems with administration of justice went beyond this, and were symptomatic of an overall societal breakdown.
He said it was unacceptable that seven months after the previous office holder was elevated, a new chief magistrate was yet to be appointed. He was also disappointed that “for months”, a major court like the Oistins Magistrates’ Court had no sitting magistrate. (SC)