Mottley says court system not moving cases fast enough

Prime Minister Mia Mottley is not satisfied with the speed at which the island’s courts are dealing with criminal matters and she believes reform of some nature might be necessary.

She pointed out that even though additional High Court judges and criminal courts had been added to the system, criminal cases were still not being heard expeditiously.

She made the comments while speaking on the popular radio call in programme Down to Brasstacks this afternoon, in response to concerns from a caller that Government was not doing enough to tackle crime.

Following a string of gun-related shooting incidents in recent days, resulting in several people being injured and one man being killed, the caller suggested that tougher laws needed to be implemented to deter criminals.

However, Mottley said while that legislation was already in place the process in administering justice was not yet where it needed to be.

Back in October 2019, seven new judges – one Court of Appeal judge, four High Court judges and two temporary High Court judges – were sworn in by then Governor General Dame Sandra Mason.

“With respect to the laws those issues are very much there and for the most part they provide the penalties that you are asking for. Where I believe that we are falling down is that we are not moving cases through the court system still as fast as I would like to see because we have as you know put additional judges and positions in place, but I think that you need a reform of some of the procedural aspects of how we conduct cases, particularly in the criminal law, much of which resembles regrettably too much of a 19th and 20th century Barbados,” the Prime Minister said.

Mottley said after being elected to office in 2018, Government made it a priority to install new scanners at the Bridgetown Port to help detect illegal guns and contraband.

However, she maintained that the issue of crime was not only the Government’s problem but a national issue.

“This is not a Government issue, it’s not a family issue, it’s not a church issue, this is a national issue and all of us need to hold hands together, we need to have strong enforcement, we need to have expeditious court hearings, we need to have strong social activity, we need to have reinforcing activity that removes abuse from our homes and that allows our young people to recognize that they are loved, they have worth and that they can have a purposeful life,” she said.

The Prime Minister also called for a zero tolerance approach to guns.

randybennett@barbadostoday.bb