'Cameras not priority'
Published:Monday | August 22, 2011 | 12:00 AM
- More important court matters to be tackled - Mark Golding
Erica Virtue, Senior Gleaner Writer
Opposition spokesman on Justice, Senator Mark Golding, has declared that recent suggestions by Justice Minister Delroy Chuck for cameras to be introduced in the island's courtrooms cannot be a priority at this stage when the entire justice system is beset by a myriad of problems.
Jamaica's justice system, modelled on the English common-law system, does not allow for cameras in the courtroom.
While not snubbing the minister's proposal wholesale, Golding said fixing the system must be the priority at this time.
"The justice system has too many problems right now for that to get priority consideration. There are delays and inefficiencies. On the civil side, cases take a very long time to be disposed of, they are often partly heard, adjourned, and often there is a lot of injustice because of that delay," he told The Gleaner yesterday.
Reports have surfaces of criminal and civil cases which have been languishing in the system for years without being settled. Individuals have also been locked up, some for more than two years, on remand.
Golding, citing some cases involving personal injury, said individuals are denied compensation for years as settlements take an inordinately long time.
On the criminal side, he said "there is the inadequate supply of jurors; lock-ups are in deplorable conditions, and all that. So I am not keen on having a lengthy debate on whether cameras should be allowed in courtrooms".
He said if and when the decision is made, extreme care must be taken as to which ones are covered.
He argued that given the fear of witnesses in testifying in cases, the situation would have to be handled with extreme care as lives and reputations must be taken into consideration.
"Given the context of Jamaica's crime problem and the intimidation of witnesses which the prosecution has often complained about, and the police, one would have to be very careful about having court proceedings televised. And I don't think Mr Chuck himself would be in favour of that," he said.
Protected privacy
Pointing to cases of sexual crimes involving children, he said "the parties' privacy needs to be protected".
He was however willing to support the minister in specified instances.
"There are some cases in which the public's interest in having a full understanding of what is happening is justified, so they will have an understanding of how decisions are arrived at, as well as getting a better understanding of the arguments for and against, cases such as constitutional matters, where the rights of citizens are being argued, applied and discussed," he suggested.
"I would say those are the kinds of cases that the public could benefit from and learn from."
Chuck had expressed the view as his personal opinion during an address at the opening of the Lucea Family Courthouse in Hanover last week.