The Ministry of Justice will be accelerating planned strategies to reduce the case pile up in the criminal division of the Supreme Court, a statement issued Tuesday read.

Cabinet, at its recent sitting, gave approval to several wide-ranging proposals to clear the growing list of cases, including the provision of additional courtrooms and the appointment of additional court staff.

Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dorothy Lightbourne, QC, said the proposed strategies follow intense discussions with stakeholders, including Permanent Secretary Carol Palmer, Chief Justice Zaila McCalla, president of the Court of Appeal, Seymour Panton, Paula Llewellyn, QC, director of public prosecutions, and representatives of human rights organisations.

Case backlog

Jamaica's justice system has suffered from massive case backlog for more than a decade.

Most courtrooms at the Supreme and Home Circuit courts were empty Tuesday as civil and criminal cases were put off for various reasons on Monday.

Jurors who turned out in large numbers for criminal cases were sent home.

The ministry is planning to reduce the number of delayed criminal cases by providing four additional courtrooms at the Supreme Court to deal with criminal matters and shifting civil cases to caucus rooms at the Jamaica Conference Centre.

Act is to be amended

The Judicature (Supreme Court) Act is to be amended to increase the complement of judges from 26 to 32 and the number of clerks in the criminal registry is to be increased by four. There will also be an increase in the number of prosecutors, Master in Chambers at the Supreme Court and Supreme Court staff.

Work will be undertaken at the Supreme Court to create a jury box, space for witnesses and docks for accused persons in the four additional courtrooms.

There are plans for bail applications from the Home Circuit Court and Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court to be heard at the Horizon Remand Centre. A team from the Ministry of Justice, the Chief Justice and representatives from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is to undertake a site visit to the remand centre to view the suitability of the location.