NASSAU, Bahamas (CMC) — Issues relating to the challenges of the delivery of justice in the Caribbean will be discussed at the inaugural Advanced Performance Exponents (APEX) convention to be held in Bahamas later this month.

The November 27 convention, described as a “milestone event for the justice sector in the Caribbean” will bring together national, regional and international jurists, attorneys, legal practitioners and senior court officials.

It will also be attended by government ministers and senior policy makers, as well as leading academics, technologists and business leaders.

The Trinidad-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), which established APEX, describes it as a Caribbean-based, special-purpose, not-for- profit agency governed by jurists and legal practitioners from across the region.

“APEX is dedicated to the delivery of technology and human development solutions to strengthen and improve the administration of justice throughout the region. Through APEX, the goal is to create an entire value chain to support Caribbean jurisprudence and create greater efficiencies within Caribbean courts and justice systems,” it said.

The CCJ said that the APEX convention here is designed to define actionable approaches toward justice sector improvement; raise awareness of regional, technology-enabled options by providing insight into the latest challenges and initiatives for e-filing, end-to-end case management, e-discovery, and court performance management as well as provide information on existing and planned strategies, measures and approaches involved in the deployment of the APEX Curia Court Management Suite.

It is also intended to identify emerging risks and vulnerabilities in Caribbean approaches to technology integration, ranging from under-funded initiatives to inadequate training and human resource development and explore best-practices in developing principles, norms and rules for regionally-relevant and responsible Caribbean justice technology design, adoption and support.

The organisers said that the convention, which is being held under the theme “Enabling Caribbean Court Excellence” comes against the backdrop of efforts to accelerate the development of Caribbean jurisprudence being challenged by constraints of finance and human resource capacity, and also by a lack of clear purpose.

“Citizens and businesses are demanding an administration of justice that is more responsive to their needs. They desire more transparent, efficient and effective justice delivery. There is a growing realisation across the Caribbean that urgent action is required to strengthen and regain public trust and confidence in the administration of justice.

“Such action is critical to citizen security and the development of a stable economic and social environment. Advances in information and communications technology are enabling new options for meeting these challenges and for transforming the quality and effectiveness of justice delivery and judicial performance.

“It is increasingly clear that the most relevant and cost-effective solutions addressing current inefficiencies in the justice sector can best come from those who have an intimate knowledge and deep appreciation of the Caribbean environment. A coordinated, technology-enabled, Caribbean approach to achieving court excellence is no longer an option; it is a regional imperative,” they said in a statement.

The organisers said that they hope the convention will facilitate open discussion on current court technology utilisation matters of regional interest, particularly as it relates to backlog reduction, judicial performance enhancement and court process improvement.

They also hope to explore and spread awareness on opportunities for accelerated improvement through the APEX Curia Suite as well as build local and regional capacity in court technology implementation.

Among the speakers at the one day event will be APEX chairman, Sir Trevor Carmichael, CCJ President Sir Dennis Byron and Bernadette Lewis, the Secretary General, of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU).