Acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for Antigua and Barbuda, Shannon Jones-Gittens, has called for sweeping reforms to address critical deficiencies in the criminal justice system across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
Speaking during the opening of the new law year, Ms. Jones-Gittens identified the lack of financial resources as a “monumental challenge” and outlined key improvements needed to restore public confidence and ensure justice for all.
“The lack of financial resources in all facets of the system is a monumental challenge,” Ms. Jones-Gittens said, highlighting how limited funding has hampered operations across the justice system.
She pointed to basic issues, such as outdated or missing equipment for law enforcement, inadequate court infrastructure, and insufficient vehicles for outreach programs.
In St. Vincent, for example, community engagement initiatives by the DPP’s office had to be paused because of the unavailability of a vehicle. She called for greater investment in both human resources and essential tools to address these gaps effectively.
The poor state of court facilities emerged as a pressing concern in Ms. Jones-Gittens’s address. She described courthouses across the region as neglected and lacking the capacity to handle growing caseloads.
“Our courthouses have been neglected and barely have the capacity to accommodate the present occupants,” she remarked, calling for urgent action to upgrade physical infrastructure to meet modern standards.
The DPP emphasised the need for justice to be delivered in a timely manner, noting that delays erode public trust in the system. She advocated for robust case management systems and the recruitment of additional judges and court staff to manage increasing caseloads.
“Justice should be timely,” Ms. Jones-Gittens said, adding that the effective implementation of criminal procedure rules would be essential to streamlining court processes and reducing backlogs.
Outdated laws and limited technological resources were other areas of concern. Ms. Jones-Gittens called for legislative updates to replace inefficient processes, such as long-form preliminary inquiries, with faster alternatives. She also highlighted the need for modern tools to combat increasingly sophisticated crimes.
“Imagine crime evolving to include the use of artificial intelligence, but our police, including computer experts, have outdated computers or none at all,” she said, emphasising the importance of equipping law enforcement with advanced technology.
Ms. Jones-Gittens urged the expansion of legal aid services to ensure that all accused persons, regardless of their financial circumstances, have access to fair representation.
She also proposed a victim’s charter or code of practice to prevent re-traumatisation and ensure victims are treated with respect throughout the judicial process.
The DPP criticised the conditions in overcrowded and under-resourced prisons, which she said fail to provide a suitable environment for rehabilitation. She emphasised that basic human rights for convicted individuals must be upheld and called for urgent improvements to correctional facilities.
Despite the challenges, Ms. Jones-Gittens expressed optimism about the future, commending upcoming projects aimed at improving the criminal justice system.
She urged stakeholders to prioritise these reforms, stating, “These will be bridges that will stand the test of time and restore the public’s confidence.”
WATCH HER SPEECH HERE:
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