Judiciary works on its mission and vision
Members of the judiciary are working on the organisation’s mission and vision in a three-day workshop being run at the International Conference Centre by lecturers from the Seychelles Institute of Management.
Mr Egonda-Ntende addressing delegates at the opening of the workshop yesterday
Chief justice Frederick Egonda-Ntende launched the exercise in a ceremony attended by the president of the Court of Appeal Francis MacGregor, attorney general Ronny Govinden and the deputy speaker of the National Assembly Wilby Lucas.
Also present were judges of the Supreme Court and of the Court of Appeal, top civil servants and the master of the Supreme Court Melchior Vidot, the court’s registrar Jude Bonte, prisons superintendent Maxime Tirant, magistrates, members of the Seychelles Bar Association, social workers and police officers.
The workshop is being funded by the United Nations Development Fund.
Mr Egonda-Ntende said although the mission and vision of the judiciary are laid out in our Constitution, they need to be defined and made clearer to members of the judiciary and of the public.
He said the courts have not been efficient and gave the example of cases that have taken 10 years and are not yet resolved, saying that is inconsistent with what the Constitution demands of the judiciary.
He said the courts are now using digital sound recorders which have replaced what he called obsolete technology, adding the new systems will improve availability of court records to judges by 70%.
“One court clerk has 400 cassette tapes to transcribe yet she cannot because she has to be in court as well.”
He said while Seychelles’ overall standing is above average, the performance of the courts has been below that of sub-Saharan Africa.
Mr Mr Egonda-Ntende also said the courts now have close circuit television facilities which can help get the evidence of vulnerable people like child victims of abuse, who can now even be cross-examined without having to face those accused of violating them.
He said witnesses can also give evidence while still abroad via the new system which he said can now be especially helpful in cases related to piracy.