JUSTICE MINISTER Senator Mark Golding has given drafting instructions to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to craft legislation that would give judges of the Supreme Court authority to make orders for interim payments in such circumstances that might be specified by the court.

Cabinet has authorised the establishment of the relevant law to give Supreme Court judges the requisite authority to make orders for interim payments to a defendant.

Minister with Responsibility for Information Senator Sandrea Falconer said previously, judges had been making orders for interim payments. However, the authority of the judges was successfully challenged in the courts.

"The Supreme Court ruled that there was no statutory power in Jamaica to order a defendant to make an interim payment," Falconer stated.

She told journalists at the weekly Jamaica House press briefing this week that the court had suggested at the time that the law be amended to allow for interim payments to litigants whose cases might drag on for years without a resolution. "This would be done in cases where the litigants have strong cases and are likely to succeed," she added.