‘Shared responsibility must uphold justice, rule of law’ – Commonwealth SG

Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland KC, on Thursday underscored the shared responsibility of those in the legal profession to uphold the rule of law and the principles of justice and equality.

In her remarks at the First Conference on Criminal Justice Reform – Advancing the Needham’s Point Declaration at the Marriott Hotel in Kingston, Georgetown, the Commonwealth SG assured the secretariat’s continuous support and active partnership as the region works to maintain stable and resilient democracies.

“The story of the legal profession traces back to ancient Greece and Rome but it falls to us here today in this room to write the next chapter, to deliver the promise of the charter which guides us, to deliver the essential protection of our people through the rule of law, through the assurance of limited accountable and effective government,” she said.

The SG encouraged the legal fraternity to seize this responsibility and expressed hope that the conference would present a roadmap to fostering transformation in the criminal justice system.

The two-day conference, a collaboration between the Attorney General’s Chambers and Ministry of Legal Affairs, and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Academy for Law, brought together regional and international figures within the legal fraternity for discussions on various topics within the criminal justice framework, including eliminating case backlogs, sentencing guidelines, restorative justice, and plea bargaining.

“We have the collective opportunity to really be the pathway for the rest of the world. The Commonwealth needs your acuity. The Caribbean needs your acuity, your wisdom, and your courage,”the SG underlined.  

Highlighting the secretariat’s ongoing success in utilising new and innovative technologies to improve justice delivery, SG Scotland spoke of the partnership with Barefoot Law, a nonprofit organisation that facilitates the deployment of ‘justice boxes’ which empower people with free legal information.

Moreover, a new model law was recently launched to help countries regulate the rapidly growing virtual assets industry, worth billions of dollars globally.

This model law takes a principled approach to regulating virtual assets in line with international standards set out by the Financial Action Task Force

According to the secretary general, the law will help member states close legislative gaps that enable money laundering and financing of terrorism for organised crime.

“Indeed, our ability to understand, master, and harness new technologies will determine our success as we deliver reform,” she added.

One of the key themes emerging from the conference was the importance of harnessing technology and artificial intelligence to boost operations within the justice sector.

This point was further emphasised by the secretary general, as she noted that the Commonwealth is setting a new standard for the use of AI in government and throughout society.

“Effective use of AI can create remarkable improvements in drafting and analysis in contracts, in translation, in video and audio analysis, in caseload management, and in courtroom automation.  It can catapult the process and administration of justice out of the physical constraints of the courtroom and into our communities,” she said.

The conference is part of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)-funded Support for the Criminal Justice System (SCJS) project in Guyana.

The landmark event aimed to build on the progress made during the CCJ Academy for Law’s 7th Biennial Conference held in October 2023, where the Needham’s Point Declaration was adopted, outlining 39 recommendations for creating a modern and efficient criminal justice system.