THE Vigilance Magistrate’s Court has joined several other courts in Guyana to now possess telecommunications equipment, which will assist in remote participation in the justice system.

On Thursday, the court was presented with skype and audio equipment through a partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Guyana, the Ministry of Public Security and the Region Four Administration.

At a simple handing-over ceremony attended by presiding magistrates from the East Coast of Demerara (ECD) district, Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards, said that science put into practical use can start a transformative journey in Guyana. She noted that technology is changing the way countries practice law and administer justice and Guyana, through its partnership with UNICEF, has the opportunity to join in the change. “Because Guyana is so huge, witnesses [and] investigators may be in different parts of the country and may have a case in another part of the country and sometimes the time in which it takes to get to that court it may result in a matter being dismissed or for some other reason being adjourned,” the chancellor explained.

“This skype system will help us to take evidence even where witnesses are abroad, where they might be in hospitals, even the police might be in another location.”
She stated that the judiciary is grateful for the partnership with UNICEF and other partnerships which have seen modern technology being placed in recent years at the Children’s Court, the Sexual Offences Courts and the Family Court.

Cummings-Edwards urged the presiding magistrates to make full use of the technology which will help to restore confidence in the justice system in Guyana.

Also addressing the gathering, Chief Justice, Roxane George-Wiltshire, said that the intention is to roll out similar technology “court by court” to every district in the country. She said that, unfortunately, in many cases relating to domestic violence and Trafficking in Persons (TIP), persons are fearful of attending court and testifying for one reason or the other. George-Wiltshire was pleased to note that the skype system will help persons in these cases to do so virtually.

Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative, Sylvie Fouet, told to those present that technology presented to the court will help to bridge the gap between science and the law and will eliminate the distance between the court and a person’s access to justice. She stated that she was thankful for the partnership with the judiciary and Regional authorities and looks forward to similar safe spaces in hospital and prisons in the near future. “We’re looking forward to this continued partnership and also bringing justice closer to the people,” she said.

Likewise, Regional Health Officer, Dr. Quincy Jones, said that the Region is committed to working along with UNICEF and the judiciary to ensure increased access to justice, especially to women and children. He stated that the Region is also committed to ensuring that its hospitals are a safe place for families and any admitted person passing through the justice system.

“This is part of our willingness to support this venture and we hope that we will be able to roll out this technology [not only] court by court, but hospital by hospital across the length and breadth of Region Four,” he said. The new technology can assist persons to view virtually, documents from the courtroom; to identify persons they are asked to identify in the courtroom; non-present persons can also verbally communicate.