Belize Leading the Charge In Justice System Reformation

Belize is making strides to improve its judiciary system by hosting the country’s first-ever criminal justice reform conference. This conference focuses on advancing the Needham’s Point Declaration, which is a pivotal framework for criminal justice reform in the Caribbean, underscoring the need for swift and fair justice for the guilty and protection of the rights of victims. The five-day conference began today in Belize City. News Five’s Britney Gordon was there for more information. 

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

For years, the backlog of cases in Belize’s criminal justice system has weighed heavily on the shoulders of those seeking justice for themselves or a loved one. As of last year, over fourteen years’ worth of cases were yet to be finalized in court, but now that number has been reduced to just five years and is decreasing by the day. This change is due, in part, to the Needham’s Point Declaration, which is a framework adopted in 2023 meant to encourage more efficient and fairer justice systems. Justice Derek Sylvester, Chair of the Judicial Education Institute, explained how the declaration is accomplishing this goal.

 

Derek Sylvester, Chair, Judicial Education Institute

“What it seeks to do is to reform the complete criminal justice system. Reduce backlogs and delays. It seeks to examine police, prosecutors, judges, lawyers, judgment writing, every facet wherein delays are likely. Because we have had delays, persons on remand, persons awaiting trial, and the reduction of the backlog. If we were to accept the 39 articles in the Needham’s Point Declaration, I could assure you that Belize would be  on an upward trajectory. And we have adopted them. I’m happy to say that thus far, we have reduced the case backlog from fourteen years in the criminal court to five years. And we’re on a trajectory to adopt the Needham’s Point Declaration, Article 19, which states that criminal matters should be completed in the high court within one year and in the lower court or the magistrate court within six months. So it is that trajectory that Belize is on and Belize is leading the way in the Caribbean.”

 

Belize is on track to have a manageable number of backlog cases by the middle of next year. The recent passing of the pleas discussion legislation which allows the defense and prosecution to discuss alternative sentences and plea deals. Justice Winston Anderson, a judge on the Caribbean Court of Justice, says Belize is spearheading the movement towards a more efficient system, with the implementation of a Criminal Justice Board.

 

Justice Winston Anderson, Judge, CCJ

“It is headed by the Chief Justice, but it has representatives from the Attorney General’s Chambers. It has the Director of Public Prosecutions. It has people from the police, people from the prisons, people from just various sectors in social in the social community  and forensic department as well. And these four persons come together with an aim of trying to streamline the process for investigating crimes, for prosecuting crimes, and also for sentencing. I think that the fact that they’ve all come together in this way has meant that there has been a vast increase in the rate in which these criminal trials have been prosecuted. We had this morning information that in seven months, one judge in Belize has completed thirty criminal cases. Another judge completed twenty-nine and another twenty-seven.”

 

The conference is partially funded by the United Nations Development Program. UNDP resident representative in Belize, Khishan Koday explains how the organization has been building capacity for countries in the region to reach their collective goals.

 

Khishan Koday, Representative, UNDP

“This conference in Belize is the first of its kind here, where we’re building capacity of about one hundred and twenty judges, magistrates, prosecutors, Colleagues from the forensics office, the police, et cetera, on various aspects of criminal justice sector reform to enhance capacities of individuals, but also those institutions that they’re working in. This is done through the support of judges and other experts from around the Caribbean as well as from the UK, and that’s a great platform, really, of capacity development to get that goal of efficiency and more effectiveness of the judicial system.”

 

Britney Gordon for News Five.