Annual Judges Conference 2019 and Magistrates Conference

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Continues to Empower Judicial Officers for Efficient Delivery of the Administration of Justice

The official opening ceremony of the Annual Judicial Conference for Judges and Masters of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court and Magistrates Conference was convened at the St. Kitts

Marriott Resort at Frigate Bay in St. Kitts and Nevis on Tuesday 28^th May 2019. The Judicial Conference was earmarked for the period of 27^th to 29^th May while the Magistrates Conference was earmarked for the period of 28^th to 31^st May. 

The ceremony was chaired by the Chairperson of the Judicial Education Institute, Justice of Appeal Her Ladyship Hon. Gertel Thom who offered welcoming remarks. Other speeches were delivered as follows:

• Edward Greene, Advisor to the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP);
• Gloria Richards-Johnson, Director of the Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project – Her presentation was inserted as a substitute for the remarks by the Canadian High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Her Excellency Ms. Marie Le Gault who was unavoidably absent;
• Hon Dr. Timothy Sylvester Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis who declared the conferences officially opened; and
• Her Ladyship, Hon Dame Janice Pereira, Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court who outlined the overall rationale and expectations of the conferences

Other dignitaries who were guests at the ceremony included His Excellency the Governor

General of St. Kitts and Nevis Sir S. W. Tapley Seaton, the Premier of Nevis Hon Mark Brantley, Attorney General Hon Vincent Byron, and Leader of the Opposition in the Federal Parliament Rt. Hon Dr. Denzil Douglas. 

In staging this year’s expanded initiative, the Judicial Education Institute (JEI) of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court has benefitted from the collaboration and support of several entities.

PANCAP and UNICEF collaborated in support of the Judicial Conference, while the Caribbean

Court of Justice, the JURIST Project which is funded by the Government of Canada and the UK Government provided financial and logistical support for the Magistrates Conference. Overall logistical and other support for the two conferences was provided by the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The conference was designed to provide wide ranging general and specialized training tailored to meet the needs of various participants. These include judges and magistrates and other judicial officers who have been in continuing practice, newly appointed judges, magistrates and judicial officers as well as administrative staff of the courts. Of significant importance is the introduction of magistrates to the newly developed Magistrates Bench Book which was produced in collaboration with the JURIST Project.

The overarching objective of the Conferences is to provide all judges, magistrates and judicial officers with the necessary insights and skills to perform their various roles in an efficient and equitable manner. This is deemed essential towards the promotion of the goal of increased access to, and the enhanced administration of, justice.

30