CJ expected to tackle prison conditions

If it is to be gauged from past presentations, Chief Justice Satnarine Sharma is expected to make some robust comments during his address Thursday at the opening of the new law term 2004/2005. And some legal sources believe that the CJ will tackle prison conditions in his address. Within recent times, the CJ has been expressing views about prison conditions, and sources in the Judiciary said yesterday that the topic is sure to be further ventilated when he addresses the assembly of judges, lawyers, magistrates and other guests at the Convocation Hall in Port-of-Spain. He is also expected to talk about the Magistracy, a limb of the Judiciary he has been trying to improve since he took office in July 2002. One area of the Magistracy that has been hindering the speed of justice is the archaic method of recording proceedings — writing in “long hand.” If he keeps true to form, he is most likely to comment on this issue.

The new rules of court is another area that has been receiving the Judiciary’s attention for a while, and it is anticipated that Sharma will make some strong comments on the issue. The traditional opening of the new law terms starts with a church service beginning at 10 am at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity on Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain. Apart from the legal fraternity, the service is expected to be attended by President George Maxwell Richards, Prime Minister Patrick Manning, Attorney General John Jeremie and other members of Cabinet, diplomats and other VIPs. After the service, a procession led by CJ Sharma will make its way to the Hall of Justice on Knox Street, where the CJ will inspect a guard of honour at about 11.20 am. The gathering will then move to the Convocation Hall where CJ Sharma will deliver his address and formally open the new law term.