Courts Get $20 Million ICT Boost, Moves to Paperless

A 20 million dollar cheque was handed over at a contract signing ceremony held at the Supreme Court in Kingston, Thursday. The donation of the Universal Service Fund is to provide much-needed ICT equipment to boost the technological capacity of courts to respond to the needs of the digital era.

The new move to a paperless judicial system has ultimately led to many doors being opened within the sector. The Universal Service Fund (USF) has contributed 20 million dollars to enhance the technology in courts across Jamaica.

Tricia Cameron Anglin Director of Court Administration for the Court Administration Division (CAD) says this will lead to reduced court backlog in years to come.

The new monitors inside the courts some months ago displayed commercials however, today, the monitors show the court’s itinerary for the day. The addition of technology has also aided the protection of witnesses, a challenge that appears in many high-profile cases.

Anglin adds that though it may take time to transition 100 years of paperwork to the digital system the staff is being trained and sensitized over time and are now 18 months advanced in relation to the Court’s 6-year goal.

The Director says the partnership between the Judiciary and USF will ultimately bolster and strengthen the information communication technologies within courts, better serving the people of the country.