Caribbean court of justice to integrate sign language in their works

Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has stated that it will add a sign language interpreter to its judgment delivery process. The sign language interpreter is not exclusively limited to the judgment statements.

The Trinidad-based CCJ is considered the highest form of court for several Caribbean Community Countries, the process will be underway once a court judgment has been made in a case revolving around the New Building Society Ltd of Guyana and its former CEO, Maurice Arjoon.

In a statement, the CCJ said the Caribbean Court of Justice’s mission is to provide fair, accessible, and efficient justice to the states and people of the Caribbean Community, they go on to say, that access to justice is a fundamental principle of the rule of law. In the context of people with disabilities, access to justice requires that judiciaries, inclusive of judicial officers and court staff, take all the necessary steps to provide a fair, transparent, inclusive, effective, non-discriminatory, and accountable service for both court users and employees.

Established in 2001, the CCJ has both original and appellate jurisdiction, the CCJ committee for improving access to justice for people with disabilities to develop guidelines and policies for an inclusive and accessible court was established by CCJ President, Justice Adrian Saunders in 2022; this is the clear next step to arrive at the intended goal.

The CCJ concluded its statement by saying the initiative is one step toward a broader path and commitment to the court’s continued efforts to enhance its accessibility and inclusivity. The CCJ remains determined to foster an accessible and inclusive court and workplace.

The CCJ has also shared a live stream link for the judgment and initiative in action for the first time via their Twitter account. While it is assumed that the CCJ is currently running the system through a trial and evaluation period, it still remains uncertain whether or not public feedback will be sought for this historic move. Regardless, this initiative is likely to pave the way toward a new precedent for court operations all around the world.