In recent years, the judiciary has come under frequent scrutiny over the High Court case backlog that continues to beset it. Apart from an inadequate number of judges the problems are myriad and relate to the efficiency of the administration of the courts, cases that abuse the process, the growing litigiousness of the society, the ease with which adjournments are granted and the sloth of the delivery of decisions. An ambitious project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank is expected to address some of these and is now getting off the ground.
In recent weeks, the judiciary came under scrutiny for an entirely different reason i.e. the allegation that has been made in relation to the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Judicature, Ms Sita Ramlal. The allegation pertains to a claim of forgery of a document tendered to the US embassy and Ms Ramlal was questioned by the police in relation to this. Ms Ramlal through her lawyer has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. Allegations have since been levelled at others within the administration of the court.
Any occurrence of this type where questions are raised about the conduct of a senior officer of the court must be settled with celerity and clarity otherwise there will always be in the mind of the public concerns about how matters of justice are handled in these hallowed courts.
The High Court is the forum in which litigants from every stratum of society entrust their fate in civil matters and of course it is a major plank of the criminal justice system. Its work – a significant portion of which is founded on documentation – and the conduct of officers of the court must be beyond reproach and seen to be as such.
The allegation against Ms Ramlal has since been made public and has led to several unfortunate statements about the manner in which the court is operated. This cannot enhance the premium standing that the judiciary must always have in the public’s eye but can only detract from it.
An investigation was meant to have been conducted by the police but as with innumerable matters that have been placed before the force there is no clear idea of what has transpired and the level of confidence that the public reposes in Eve Leary in matters of this type is not inspiring. However, this issue can seriously afflict the image of the courts and the administration of justice and it behoves the judiciary as a distinct branch of government to dispose of this matter in a way that it will assuage concerns that the public might have.
The allegation has come at a particularly uncomfortable moment for the judiciary as Ms Ramlal is already embroiled in a court matter with the Judicial Service Commission over jurisdictional issues such as who she answers to. This, notwithstanding, there is a vital need for the allegation to be rigorously investigated by the judiciary in its own interest. This will not only burnish the credibility of the courts but it will also assure the average litigant.