AFTER decades of complaints by members of the public about missing and lost files at what was then the Half-Way Tree Resident Magistrate’s Court, now the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, chief executive officer of the Court Administration Division (CAD) Tricia Cameron-Anglin has signalled that this could soon be a thing of the past with the launch of a new records centre.

“Every file represents a person, a matter before the court, a decision or a critical piece of the justice process and so the ability to locate, to track, secure, and retrieve records in a timely manner is essential to maintaining public confidence and ensuring the smooth operation of our courts.

“For too long, one of the challenges has been the issue of misplaced or difficult to locate files. The message is simple: No more missing files,” said Cameron-Anglin.

She told the official commissioning of the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court (Criminal Division) Records Centre, on Tuesday, that under the new system at every stage of the handling of documents, it must be made clear who is accountable for storing files, where they are stored, and when they are expected to be returned.

According to Cameron-Anglin, the facility introduces a more structured and accountable approach to records and information management.

“Every file should have a known location. Every movement of a file should be documented and every member of staff who accesses a file has a responsibility to ensure that it is returned and accounted for. When we know where our records are, we reduce delays, we improve efficiency, and we provide better service to the citizens who depend on the justice system,” declared Cameron-Anglin.

She described the launch of the new office as a milestone and said it forms part of the CAD’s wider records and information strategy, which seeks to modernise how information is created, stored, accessed, and preserved across Jamaica’s network of courts.

“The reality is that records management is no longer just about shelves, boxes and storage rooms. It is about building systems that support accountability, transparency, and operational excellence. It’s about creating a culture where information is treated as a valuable organisational asset. And so, importantly, this initiative also moves us another step along the broader journey towards digitisation.

“Before information can be digitised effectively, it must be first properly organised, tracked and managed, and this is well in keeping with our move towards ISO 9001 certification. The systems and processes we are introducing today will help to create that foundation. They position us better, they position us to better leverage technology, improve access to information, enhance business continuity and, ultimately, deliver more efficient court services,” said Cameron-Anglin.

She pointed out that the launch of the criminal records office would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of many individuals and teams.

“And so I extend sincere appreciation to the staff of the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court Criminal Division, my team at the CAD, our records and information management team, project partners, technical personnel, and all those who contributed to bringing this initiative to fruition. As we celebrate today’s achievement, I encourage all staff to embrace the systems and procedures that accompany these new facilities,” Cameron-Anglin urged.

In the meantime, Chief Justice Bryan Sykes told the court management staff not to see the technological developments as something that will displace them.

“It is not about displacing people from their jobs. It is about integrating the technology into your work flow and work process. It is to make your life easier, to make work more efficient, to improve ultimately the quality of life of our citizens so that when the information is digitised and you have the record centre, it means, and we’re going to be doing this over time, the person can simply communicate with the record centre, give the necessary information, and the information is retrieved within 15 minutes and sent to whomever needs to get it. This is what this day is about,” Sykes said.