Judicial Department Strategic Plan 2019-2023

Foreword

The Judicial Department aims to improve access to justice to rural and remote areas. We are well on track and will continue to remain so as we embark on this five year Strategic Plan. One of the key initiatives of the transformation of the justice system is to improve access to justice, having regard to persons who may be inarticulate or have limited means.

The establishment of the Magistrates’ Courts in all the major districts in Fiji will include Island Court Sittings in Kadavu, Rotuma, Lau and the Lomaiviti groups as well as the decentralisation of the Small Claims Tribunals. There is a plan underway to conduct an island court sitting in the Yasawa group whilst monthly sittings are already being conducted in Nadarivatu (Ba), Nalawa (Ra) and Keiyasi (Nadroga).

We have made significant progress in establishing and upgrading these courts across the country. Every new Magistrate’s Court to be established in the future will automatically have a Small Claims Tribunal attached to it. Previously the Small Claims Tribunals only sat in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa.

The High Court operates from the Divisional Courts in the three main centres - Suva, Lautoka and Labasa. Whilst there are High Court Judges stationed in Suva and Lautoka, Judges from Suva conduct cases for the Labasa High Court and sometimes travel to the West (Lautoka High Court) to conduct cases there as well. The Suva High Court Judge for the Family Court conducts such sittings for the West (Lautoka Family Court) and the North (Labasa Family Court) every month. It is envisaged that the two Divisions (North and West) will be able to maintain their own Divisional High Courts that do not depend on visiting Judges from Suva in the future. There are also plans to increase the number of Judicial Officers (both Resident Magistrates and Judges) to ensure the timely turnover of cases for all courts.

A team working with the Town and Country Planning Department has also been tasked with the review of the court boundary in the Navua to Naitasiri corridor. This is aimed at ensuring a better justice for all. This was also needed to ensure that the Police would align their cases with the respective jurisdiction of the allocated court.

During the following year we will be implementing e-filing, and continue with our programme to provide a video record of all court proceedings.

These are some of the highlights of our programmes and we are looking forward to the conclusion of these and other initiatives and interventions outlined in this Strategic Plan.

Anthony Gates Chief Justice and Chairperson Judicial Services Commission.