STRAPPED FOR CA$H

So much so, that sources say it does not have cash to buy paper to print practising certificates for attorneys. Judiciary sources are saying the expenditure of $30 million for overseas travel is part of the reason why funds are not readily available to run the Judiciary.

A source revealed that on March 29, the head of the Judiciary’s Finance and Accounts Department sent a memo to the secretary of the Mediation Board requesting $700,000, claiming limited funding was allocated to the Judiciary by the Government in its 2016-2017 Budget. This has not gone down well with members of the Judiciary, including several judges.

A source yesterday said that $21 million was spent by one individual in overseas judicial travel which comprised 30 trips abroad. High Court judges have expressed the view that despite frequent trips abroad by certain high-ranking Judiciary officials, a significant number of judges within the past ten years, have not been given similar opportunity. Judges claimed that members of the bench at times, were not even informed that trips were available for to other Commonwealth jurisdictions.

Said a judge yesterday, “Millions have been spent in overseas travel and now we have reached the state where the Judiciary is basically going a begging.” A copy of a memo dated March 29, and presented to Newsday, shows correspondence between the Judiciary’s Finance and Accounts Department Director Farisha Mohammed and an official of the Mediation Board addressed as Sherlanne, requesting the $700,000.

The money being requested is to be utilised in the wider Judiciary.

The email stated, “Good morning Sherlanne, Due to the limited funding allocated to the judiciary this year, we are looking at possible transfers from Mediation Board.

I am requesting the transfer of Seven Hundred Thousand dollars ($700,000.00) from the Mediation Board vote to be utilized in the wider Judiciary.” Newsday was told by a source yesterday, that since 2008, in total, $30 million was spent on overseas Judicial travel.

However, less than 30 percent of members of the bench have been able to utilise funding for overseas judicial contact. Funding for judicial travel is part of a judge’s remuneration package and allows for a judge together with his/her spouse and their children, under the age of 18, to travel overseas to Commonwealth countries on Judicial business at the expense of the State. Such business includes conferences. A Judiciary source questioned why millions have been spent on overseas trips when the Judiciary has its own local Judicial Education Institute.

of Trinidad and Tobago. It was explained to Newsday that judges do not need to make overseas ‘judicial contact’ like in years gone, because with the advent of the internet, communications is cheaper and readily available between judges and judicial institutions between commonwealth countries.

The Mediation Board is a branch of the Judiciary tasked at offering advice to parties for the purpose of settling disputes outside of the courtroom. It eases the burden on the court system. Any party, whether individual or a company, can seek intervention of the Mediation Board to resolve a dispute.

Justice Vasheist Kokaram who chairs the Mediation Board, wrote an email to members on the Judiciary’s request for financing, which stated: “Dear All, Please find below an urgent request by the Judiciary for a transfer of funds from the Mediation Board’s vote in order to meet urgent operational expenses of the Judiciary.

“The Judiciary would not have approached us unless it is a critical request. I have in principle no objection to the request bearing in mind that (a) operationally, we are dependent on the judiciary (b) our finances are controlled and regulated by the Judiciary and (c) our monies are obtained through the vote allocated in the National Budget to the Judiciary.” Newsday was told that the State annually allocates funding for the Judiciary which is not accountable to anyone on how it spends taxpayers’ money, on the principle of the Separation of Powers.