Golding (left) and Nicholson (right)

The Leader of the Opposition, Bruce Golding, has proposed several changes for the judiciary, which he says will reinforce its independence and safeguard its members.

Speaking yesterday at the swearing in ceremony for new president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Seymour Panton, Mr. Golding suggested that the judiciary be given total control of its budget

"If the courts are to be independent, they can't be connected by strings that can either be jerked or tightened in relation to the resources that Parliament has already voted for their upkeep and operations," he argued.

Mr. Golding also called for the change of status of Resident Magistrates (RM), from civil servants to judges, saying that the RM Court is the court which most Jamaicans come in contact with, and as such the standing of RMs should be of a higher rank.

"The judiciary will not be independent to the extent that it must be until we give our Resident Magistrates ... a level of security of tenure that will underpin the independence of their thinking and the independenceof their decisions."

Under review

Attorney-General A.J. Nicholson has, however, said that the changes that Mr. Golding proposed are now being considered under the justice system reform.

He said: "The Government of Jamaica is anxious to put in place mechanisms that will help to remove any semblance of interference by the executive in the work of the judiciary and the Leader of the Opposition should be advised that in this regard we are now giving serious consideration to the establishment of a trust fund that will firmly remove the financing of judicial salaries and judicial costs from the annual budgetary process of government."

The minister, however, did not state when these changes would be enforced.