KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Chief Justice Bryan Sykes has underscored the importance of integrating technology in the efforts of the judiciary to reduce case backlogs and improve efficiency across Jamaica’s justice system.
“We are really in the 21st century. So when I was rereading the decision in (the trial of a popular entertainer), it was noted that the transcripts from the Supreme Court arrived in the Court of Appeal two years after the end of the trial,” he said, highlighting the introduction of digital recording in the courts to reduce delays between trial conclusion and the start of the appeal process.
“There is no technological reason why that should be so. We have all the technology to make that [submission in] a matter of days now, not weeks or months or years, a matter of days,” Justice Sykes said, as he delivered greetings during the Judiciary of Jamaica’s Annual Assize Church Service on Sunday.
The service, held under the theme “Rooted in Faith, Justice-Driven, Impacting the Future,” marks the commencement of the Michaelmas Term of the Home Circuit Court.
Justice Skyes said that the integration of digital technology within the court system is not designed to displace personnel, but rather to enhance operational efficiency and ensure that justice is delivered in a more timely and effective manner.
He cited, as an example, a case involving a municipal corporation, noting that the process from “trial and decision to hearing in the Court of Appeal and (final judgment was completed in) less than three years”.
He has also appealed to members of the public to honour their civic responsibilities as jurors and witnesses, emphasising that justice cannot be delivered without their active participation.
The Chief Justice paid particular attention to individuals within the middle to upper-middle class, urging them to make themselves available for jury duty, noting that their engagement is essential to ensuring that justice is administered both swiftly and fairly across the society.
Justice Sykes pointed out that police officers often encounter challenges in serving jury notices to individuals within this socio-economic group, as many reside in gated or otherwise secure communities that restrict direct access.
He said, consequently, jury service increasingly falls on individuals least able to bear the financial burden.
“So we urge you to embrace jury service whenever you receive a jury notice. Together, let us build a justice system that is transparent, efficient, trustworthy, a system worthy of the Jamaican people and pleasing in the sight of God,” Justice Sykes said.
The Chief Justice also urged members of the legal fraternity to manage their courts with firmness and fairness, and implored attorneys to uphold the law with integrity while fostering collegiality within the profession.
and then 