Make judicial system more efficient

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I am compelled to write this letter with reference to an article written by A.J. Nicholson in The Gleaner titled ‘Stop deafening your ears on the Privy Council’ on July 22. Delinking Jamaica from the Judicial Committee of London Privy Council, and subscribing to the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), would not help to improve the challenges that Jamaica’s judicial and law-enforcement systems are experiencing.

Backlog of cases, overworked judges and police officers, and a high crime rate are the major causes. Because of a lack of resources, for example, the CCJ system not being computerised, man-hours would not be reduced, and the efficiency of the judges and police officers would not improve.

The United States is a republic and they are not link to the judicial committee of London Privy Council, yet they also have the same challenges like Jamaica; for example, a high crime rate.

So, it is very evident that not being delinked is not causing a high crime rate in Jamaica.

However, assuming we are delinked, passing new legislations without having the systems computerized would not help to improve efficiency or help to reduce the high crime rate.

Therefore, it is time for Arnold Nicholson to stop deafening his ears, blaming delinking, and start to advocate to get Jamaica’s judicial and law-enforcement systems computerised.

Thereafter, members of the judicial and law-enforcement systems can communicate information in real time, which would help to improve efficiency, as well as help to reduce the high crime rate.

CARGILL KELLY