Partnership with Caribbean Agency for Justice Solutions to accelerate justice sector modernisation

Basseterre:

Attorney General of St Kitts and Nevis, Garth Wilkin, has affirmed his commitment to modernising the justice sector through a strategic collaboration with the Caribbean Agency for Justice Solutions (CAJS). The partnership aims to improve access to justice, enhance efficiency, and integrate innovative digital solutions into legal and judicial operations across the federation.

On March 11, Wilkin, who also serves as minister of justice, met with CAJS Executive Director Bevil Wooding and Chief Technology Officer Richard Wall in Basseterre, St Kitts. The discussions centred on leveraging technology to modernise legislative drafting, legal aid, mediation, AI-powered legal research, court administration, and justice sector infrastructure.

Wooding emphasised CAJS’s mission to help Caribbean countries become global leaders in justice sector modernisation by providing pioneering technologies, scalable solutions, and capacity-building programmes developed in consultation with jurisdictions across the region.

“CAJS is keen to explore opportunities for justice sector innovation in St Kitts and Nevis, which can serve as a model for regional adoption and modernisation efforts across the Commonwealth,” Wooding stated.

Wooding noted that CAJS members play a direct role in shaping the agency’s priorities, programmes and the functionality of the technology it develops.

GOVERNANCE OVERSIGHT

“CAJS state and institutional members provide the governance oversight and serve as a Caribbean-wide, knowledge-sharing network to promote regional collaboration, best practices and continuous learning,” Wooding shared, adding, “With CAJS, you’re not just getting cutting-edge technology — you’re joining a regional community of justice pioneers committed to building regional capacity together.”

Also present at the meeting were Cheryleann Pemberton, permanent secretary in the Ministry of ICT and Posts, and Allison Issacs, parliamentary counsel in the Office of the Attorney General, both of whom expressed strong support for the collaboration.

Pemberton emphasised the government’s commitment to digital transformation and its enthusiasm for leveraging strategic partnerships to accelerate its digital agenda.

“The government of St Kitts and Nevis is fully committed to embracing digital transformation as a means of enhancing governance, improving service delivery, and strengthening institutions,” said Pemberton. “Exploring opportunities for strategic collaboration with CAJS is in keeping with our vision for modernising critical government services and delivering the critical services our people demand and deserve.”

Wilkin welcomed CAJS’s progressive approach to justice reform, emphasising its alignment with the federation’s goals for modernisation and efficiency.

“CAJS aligns perfectly with our mandate for justice reform. We look forward to exploring opportunities for integrating CAJS solutions into the Attorney General’s Office and our legal aid operations,” said AG Wilkin.

Wooding echoed this enthusiasm, reinforcing the importance of both technology and human capital development in shaping the future of justice delivery.

“The future of justice isn’t just in the hands of technology; it’s in the deliberately developed minds and skills of those who serve it. CAJS was founded to strengthen the region’s ability to deliver justice swiftly, fairly, and equitably,” he said.

This collaboration marks a significant step forward in enhancing St Kitts and Nevis’ justice system and signals a broader movement towards regional justice sector innovation.