Judiciary reform plans ‘approved in principle’

Ministers have approved a proposed overhaul of the justice administration system, with the creation of a new Department of the Judiciary and Court Services Council to centralise court administration — an endeavour the Chief Justice of Barbados has described as “the most important project undertaken by the judiciary post-Independence”.

As the 2026–2027 legal year began on Monday, Chief Justice Leslie Haynes said ministers approved the creation of both bodies in principle in January, with the proposed reform intended to give the judiciary greater control over the administration of the courts.

He explained that, for decades, the functioning of the judiciary had relied on the Supreme Court Registry as its administrative arm, while common law court systems internationally had recognised the need to review court administration.

Such reviews, he said, had led to the creation of the post of court executive administrator, an officer responsible for the general administration of the law courts.

That arrangement removes the administrative burden from the registrar, allowing that officer to focus on the numerous quasi-judicial duties already in existence, he said.

Haynes said that, under the proposed model, the Supreme Court Registry would no longer be a department within the Attorney General’s Office, as it was previously, or fall under the responsibility of the Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice.

“Instead, the administration of the Supreme Court would have a direct organisational connection to the Court Services Council, chaired by the Chief Justice,” he told members of the judiciary and attorneys gathered in Court No. 1 at the Supreme Court Complex..

Haynes said stakeholder consultations had already taken place, with participants providing “many valuable comments and suggestions”.

A human resources assessment was now under way, to be followed by a financial assessment, the results of which would be presented in a report to Cabinet, he added.

The reform was significant because the judiciary currently lacked direct control over the Registry, despite its essential role in court operations, he said.

“Effective administration has therefore depended heavily on a good working relationship between the chief justice and the registrar.”

According to Haynes, the proposed changes are intended to improve the efficiency of court operations, public service accountability, visibility and responsiveness.

The human resources assessment would help prepare the courts to move from analogue procedures to digital operations, while ensuring that all departments within the Registry were adequately staffed, he said. 

“The focus must be on improving our general efficiency by creating workflows and redesigning job descriptions to reflect the modern digital world.”

Haynes gave an assurance that interested parties would be kept updated as the reform agenda progressed, with the next steps being the completion of the human resources assessment followed by a financial assessment.

(JB)