The justice system has never been in a better position than it is now as it relates to the delivery of crucial services to the public, says Minister of Justice Delroy Chuck.

In an interview with JIS News, the minister said significant outputs were achieved over the past 12 months in the areas of restorative justice, backlog cases being cleared, child diversion, victim services, expungement of criminal records, and the repair of a number of justice facilities.

“There have been significant improvements, and all the lawyers are happy that if they did legal work, they are all fully paid. If they had judgment debts, they are up to date, and we can now say, our judges are the best paid in the Caribbean,” Chuck also noted.

Underscoring that the complement of judges and prosecutors has been increased, the minister said the justice system is at a stage where it could easily “become one of the best, not only in the Caribbean but in the world”.

“We are hoping that the efficiency and speed with which decisions are completed, that the period can be further reduced,” he added.

The minister said more can be achieved, especially in the area of infrastructure upgrades, citing the slow pace of the procurement process as a problem.

He noted that some projects to build and renovate courts were not finalised, “not because of lack of funding but because of procurement problems”.

The Ministry of Justice administers and delivers justice services as well as provides policy support and analysis on justice issues. It is mandated to ensure that Jamaica is a just and law-abiding society with an accessible, efficient and fair system of justice for all while promoting respect for rights and freedoms, the Rule of Law and the Constitution, and promoting an awareness of individual responsibilities and civil obligations.