BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has committed itself to improving the rate of disposal of cases with which it has to deal, while remaining committed to ensuring that justice continues to be served.
Speaking at the recent launch of the 2009-2010 Law Year held at the Sir Lee Llewellyn Moore Judicial and Legal Services Complex, DPP Paulina Hendrickson spoke of some of her office’s accomplishments and challenges faced.
She reported that during the recently concluded law year, 101 cases were listed for trial at the Basseterre High Court of Justice, 68.3 percent of which were disposed of. She also reported a 73 percent conviction rate.
Hendrickson noted that matters listed for hearing at the Nevis Circuit Court during the past law year totalled 12; nine of which were disposed of with a 67 percent conviction rate.
Approximately 40 cases scheduled for trial during the May 2009 Criminal Assizes were traversed for hearing during the upcoming September 2009 Criminal Assizes, to which 20 new cases have been added. DPP Hendrickson recalled that a number of factors contributed to the fluctuation of the disposal rate and, in the case of the May 2009 Criminal Assizes, matters of State had to be dealt with urgently which caused the Assizes to be cut short.
The aim of the DPP’s Department, she noted, is “to be able to dispose of at least 90 percent of listed cases if we are unable to dispose of all listed cases” for upcoming assizes.
“Delay in the disposal of the cases is still a pronounced feature in the criminal justice system of St. Christopher and Nevis and would fester if attempts to seriously address the problem are not made with serious haste. The transformation of our Criminal Justice System is urgently needed as we face the challenges of disposing of an increasingly large number of cases in a short period of time with very limited resources.”
Making reference to the Criminal Division Pilot Project – which seeks to reduce the delay in the hearing of criminal trials – launched in St. Lucia, Hendrickson informed that her office “will be making representation to the appropriate authority to ensure that the government of St. Kitts and Nevis does what is required to replicate the Delay Reduction Reform System in the Federation of St. Christopher and Nevis during this law year.”
She noted that she is fully aware that the implementation of this “new regime” would have “accompanying challenges”, but assured “efforts would be meaningful and worthwhile, as this would significantly affect the speed and efficiency with which criminal matters are heard and disposed of”.
Hendrickson confidently informed that the staff of her office has resolved to “convert the challenges into opportunities and successes in the year ahead”.
