Nassau, The Bahamas - The
Government’s Swift Justice initiative has gone high-tech.
On October 3, its weekly meetings
were expande
d by video-conferencing to Freeport, Grand Bahama.
“This historical event symbolises a red letter
day in the administration of justice,” said Attorney General, Senator
Allyson Maynard-Gibson.
“This marks the first time in the history of The
Bahamas that we now have a secured justice system network between sister
agencies involved in the administration of justice.”
Mrs Maynard-Gibson outlined the Swift Justice video
conferencing measures during a press conference Monday, October 1, attended
by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Damien Gomez,
and senior legal affairs officials.
They were connected by video with Police Headquarters,
Her Majesty’s Prison, the Public Hospitals Authority, Freeport officials,
Department of Rehabilitative Services, and consultants.
Best practices in relation to the administration
of justice, said Mrs. Maynard-Gibson, requires greater use of technology
“to enhance the process and to ensure that justice is delivered in
a fair, swift and efficient manner.”
Thi
s video-conferencing link will further improve the
relationship between the Police, Her Majesty’s Prison, the Public
Hospital Authority, the Department of Rehabilitative Services and the
Office of the Attorney General.
The Swift Justice Initiative
was re-
launched on June 6. Since then, meetings have been
conducted once per week with representatives of institutions and agencies
within the justice system.
On Wednesday Swift Justice meetings were expanded
by video-conferencing to include representatives of the Police, the
Public Hospital Authority, the Department of Rehabilitative Services
and the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs
in Freeport, Grand Bahama.
“In this instance, we are focusing on the criminal
side,” said Mrs. Maynard-Gibson. “We plan to extend the use of video-conferencing
in the civil side in the very near term.
It has also been agreed that bail applications, remand
hearings, arraignments and criminal case management may be conducted
by video link, she said.
“This will substantially eliminate the traffic
hazard too frequently caused by the transport of prisoners and persons
on remand from prison to court,” she said. “Only persons required
for court on a particular day will be brought down from the prison.”
Video conferencing allows the Government to realise
“tremendous savings” by reducing the amount spent on travel, accommodation,
transportation and daily expenses for witnesses and experts, domestic
and international, she explained.
Also, witnesses will be able to give live real-time
testimony by video link whether they're in or outside of The Bahamas.
“This technology has the capacity to display evidence
by way of the video link,” said Mrs. Maynard-Gibson. “For instance,
forensic evidence could be viewed from crime scenes and laboratories
for use in the courts.
“It will minimise or alleviate the need to transport
inmates thorough our streets and the danger associated with such movement.”
The video link could be used
for training of prosecutors and civil litigat
ors from various jurisdictions.
Through PDA devices, prosecutors
and police have access to this video network, she said.
Other benefits from this technology,
she said, include:
* Video link with the courts
allows testimony to be given by witnesses and e
xperts from remote locations whether in or outside
The Bahamas;
Video link with the Public
Hospital Authority allows doctors to give live testimony without having
to attend court because of their heavy schedules and demands;
The Attorney-General, prosecu
tors and, civil litigators by video link will be
able to consult with officials of the Justice Departments of other countries;
The Attorney-General will be able to participate
in meetings with counter-parts; and,
Video-conferencing link could also be used as redundant
communication link by NEMA in the event of a national disaster.
“Going forward, it is the
Government’s intention to expand video-conferencing to Eleuthera,
Abaco, and Exuma in the next phase,” she said, “so that our prosecutors
and civil li
tigators will be able to interview witnesses without
them having to be transported to New Providence. The courts in these
islands will also be able to undertake further remand hearings by video
link.
“This video network will
be complementary to the Integr
ated Criminal Justice System Software that the Government
is in the process of acquiring.
“This technology will bring about further improvements
in the efficiency and effectiveness from my office in the administration
of justice.”
