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Member States’ budget for EC Court inadequate - Dame Pereira

Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Dame Janice M. Pereira said budgetary allocations by member countries and Territories to the Court are woefully inadequate given the importance of the institution to economies and wants to see more contributed. Photo: www.eccourts.org
THE VALLEY, Anguilla – Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Dame Janice M. Pereira said budgetary allocations by member countries and Territories to the Court are woefully inadequate given the importance of the institution to economies and wants to see more contributed.

Dame Pereira was today September 17, 2014 speaking during the opening ceremony held at the special sitting of the Court to mark the commencement of the 2014/2015 Law Year. Her address was titled: “Fulfilling our Strategic Vision in Challenging times” and was broadcast live, via simulcast to the Courts in the other jurisdictions.

During her opening address, Dame Pereira touched on a myriad of issues, from crime in the various member jurisdictions to the integration of the Magistracy. However, she raised the issue of lack of adequate financing for the Court by member countries and Territories while at the same time noting that the institution is expected to provide stellar service.

“While the Court Reform Initiative as contemplated in the Court’s Strategic Plan has been successful in many regards, its implementation has been met with some measure of adversity in a few areas, a significant one being that of finance,” she said.

“The declining fiscal situation of the member States and Territories has contributed considerably in exacerbating the difficulties faced by the court which is financed by the contribution of each member State and Territory after collective approval of the overall annual budget by the OECS Authority,” she said.

She said that the percentage of the national budget allocated to the operation of the Court for each member State and Territory ranges from as low as 0.69 percent to as high as 1.87 percent. The reality is that in seven out of the nine States and Territories the Court’s national budgetary allocation is below 1 percent,” she said.

Dame Pereira noted that the national contributions, even when combined are but a mere drop in the bucket when compared to the entire national budget of each contributor.

“The financial situation of the Court is further compounded by the irregular and tardy payments of contributions from member States and Territories while the work of the Court is expected to continue unabated,” she said.

She said that over the past decade or so the Court’s headquarters have not received all the approved budget contributions from all the member States.

“Despite all of this the Court is obligated to provide the best quality of service to the citizens that we serve. The citizens in turn demand high quality service and rightly so,” she said.

She said in 2013 the revenue generated by the Court through the collection of fees and fines exceeds US$3.5 million in the Virgin Islands, EC$1.2 million in Antigua and Barbuda, close to EC $1 million in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and EC $3.5 million in St. Lucia.

“Considering the importance of the work of the Court to the economic wellbeing of our countries the amounts which have been allocated to the proper functioning of the Justice System are in my view woefully inadequate,” she stated.

13 Responses to “Member States’ budget for EC Court inadequate - Dame Pereira”

  • ccc (17/09/2014, 16:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Only bvi paid there bills
  • Clem (17/09/2014, 16:14) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    I totally agree mi lady dame.
  • cheese (17/09/2014, 16:31) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Damn she is fine, I will donate just to see her smile
  • Dummy (17/09/2014, 16:34) Like (5) Dislike (3) Reply
    justice is suposed to be fair and equal. The first inequality occurs when you hire your lawyer. If you hire a QC they get to sit in the front row while if you hire a regular lawyer they are stuck in the second row like second class citisens.
    court transcripts take weeks, if not months, to obtain. and quite often are full of errors. why cant the court go to video recording so accuracy is guarenteed and prevent mistakes and misunderstandings. is it because of jobs for court reporters. If
    so do both as video is cheap and quick and gives the lawyers an instant transcipt.
    Verdicts should be deliveredin a timely manner and not take years to be given. People including judges i am sure remember evidence they heard recently rather than what they heard a year ago. Particularly as one assumes they have spent the intervening months listening to evidence in other cases. Let the courts get their act together and then ask for money.
    • Adjourned (17/09/2014, 18:01) Like (2) Dislike (5) Reply
      You sound so. bitter. you must be one of those incompetent. Lawyers.
  • DON Q (17/09/2014, 18:00) Like (2) Dislike (4) Reply
    We need to be apart of the ccj
  • VG me com from (17/09/2014, 20:20) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lets applod the VI for following protocol compare to the wider Caribbean who a bigger than us with bigger populations and more court cases .............yes I'm proud of my home, were a civilize part of the Caribbean/World
  • huh (18/09/2014, 03:24) Like (2) Dislike (5) Reply
    Every country have the right to choose their own destiny that is why we need to stop going to the privy counsel
  • Online Now (18/09/2014, 03:44) Like (4) Dislike (4) Reply
    the law is just to lock up the poor and thoes who cannot afford an Attorney!!! Will we ever see a crooked MP being handcuffed and carted off to jail? Or will they continue to enrich themselves and their friends at the expense of the tax payer?
  • long look me come from (18/09/2014, 11:06) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    look at our local women large and in chrage
  • virgin gorda (18/09/2014, 14:39) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Oh yea we Virgin Gorda ppl are so proud BAM


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