Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 19, 2023 (SKNIS): The Honourable Garth Wilkin, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and Legal Affairs announced St. Kitts and Nevis’s renewed commitment to overhauling the nation’s Criminal Justice System. The objective is clear – usher the Federation into the future as a sustainable island state with a modern, efficient justice system that meets the needs of both victims and accused individuals.
“There are instances where victims of crime, as well as accused persons, endure lengthy periods awaiting justice. While we are revisiting some outdated laws, our vision is to institute long-term, sustainable solutions that cater to our citizens’ welfare,” said Attorney-General Wilkin.
The government isn’t acting alone. To meet these ambitious goals, St. Kitts and Nevis is leveraging regional and global partnerships. A testament to this commitment is the Honourable Attorney-General’s participation in the Official Launch of the Partnership of the Caribbean and the European Union on Justice (PACE Justice) Project, coupled with the CCJ Academy for Law 7th Biennial Conference being held in Barbados from 18th – 20th October 2023.
Sponsored by the European Union and coordinated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the PACE Justice Project promises profound benefits for the Federation. Among these are enhanced institutional capacities for prosecutors, courts, police, and prisons – ensuring that criminal cases are handled with greater efficacy and efficiency.
This year’s CCJ Academy Conference gathers prominent jurists and court professionals globally, focusing on ‘Criminal Justice Reform in the Caribbean: Achieving a Modern Criminal Justice System’. Plea Negotiations; Judge Only Trials; Modern Case Management Mechanisms; Anti-Gang Legislation; Victims’ Rights, and Backlog Reduction Strategies are among the highlighted topics for discussion.
“As we integrate the insights from PACE and the CCJ Conference, and with the impending inauguration of the Access to Justice Agency (AJASKN), I am optimistic about the future. Our vision is to guarantee that every individual in our Federation experiences a modern, efficient criminal justice system,” stated Attorney-General Wilkin.
The conference will also spotlight recommendations on Victims’ Rights; Prisoner Remand Policy; Judge-alone Trials; Taking Money Out of Crime; Sentencing as Deterrent and Rehabilitation; Crime and Development, and Plea-bargaining and anti-gang legislation.
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