BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – At the ongoing Pace Justice Second Attorneys-General Roundtable, Barbados Attorney General Dale Marshall issued a compelling appeal for enhanced regional collaboration to fortify criminal justice systems across the Caribbean. Emphasizing shared challenges, Marshall advocated for a collective approach rather than isolated national efforts, particularly in critical areas like witness protection and anti-gang legislation.
Marshall highlighted the practical benefits of this cooperative model, revealing that Barbados had successfully drawn upon existing frameworks from neighboring nations. “When developing our witness protection legislation, passed just last year, we found immense value in examining the Jamaican and St. Vincent models,” he stated. Similarly, Jamaica’s anti-gang legislation served as a template for Barbados, while other initiatives were informed by Trinidad’s legal framework.
The Attorney General pointed to the Needham’s Point Declaration as a pivotal regional roadmap. This 2023 agreement, comprising 39 comprehensive recommendations adopted by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) Academy for Law, aims to modernize criminal justice through legislative, police, and judicial reforms focused on efficiency, reducing delays, and victim-centered approaches.
Marshall cited tangible progress resulting from previous collaborations, including Barbados’ recent adoption of plea-bargaining legislation and judge-alone trial provisions. While the latter remains optional for defendants, Marshall noted its successful implementation in several significant cases.
The high-level discussions, concluding Friday, are addressing several pressing issues: harmonized justice approaches including judge-alone trials and plea bargaining; witness protection programs identifying best practices and gaps; digital justice interoperability; and strengthening legal aid and public defender systems throughout the Caribbean region.