Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Shelleygan Petersen
Published on 2024-04-13 06:00:00
The Office of the Judiciary has made a plea for additional funds to address the urgent needs of its ageing infrastructure. Minister of Justice, Yvonne Dausab, presented this plea to the National Assembly while advocating for the office’s N$445 million budget allocation.
Dausab emphasized the importance of adequate budgetary provisions to ensure the judiciary can continue to provide speedy and equitable justice. She highlighted the pressing infrastructure needs of the judiciary, stating that without significant investment, its capacity to serve will be hindered. Dausab also mentioned that audit reports and efforts for efficiency demonstrate the office’s commitment to judiciously utilizing allocated resources.
The minister stressed the essential nature of investing in the judiciary’s infrastructure to keep pace with the demands placed on it, emphasizing that this investment is necessary to ensure accessibility to justice. She called on the National Assembly to allocate the necessary resources to the Office of the Judiciary to support critical reforms and infrastructure maintenance.
One of the key reasons for the increased budget allocation was to address the rising demand for judicial services and the renovation of courts. The budget had increased by N$24 million from the previous financial year, bringing the total to N$445 million. Additional revenue of N$5.2 million was generated through private telephone calls, bail amounts, and photocopies between the two financial years.
Chief Justice Peter Shivute also emphasized the need for more funds to address instructional needs during the opening of the legal year. He advocated for continued investment in capital projects to modernize court facilities, integrate advanced technology, and improve access to judicial services. Shivute highlighted the importance of not only constructing buildings but also building the future of the judiciary through these projects.
The judiciary recognizes the urgent need for capital projects to refurbish and expand existing court infrastructure, integrate advanced technologies for streamlined case management, and court proceedings. Shivute outlined a vision for developing new court facilities in underserved regions, expanding electronic case management systems, and enhancing security measures to protect information and ensure safety.
Despite the government’s annual spending of over N$1 billion on the courts, Dausab raised concerns about allocating only N$24 million for a 5% salary increase, which could negatively impact service delivery. She emphasized the need for increased operational budgets to meet the expanding demand for judicial services.
Efforts to improve efficiency across all courts have been made, but heavy caseloads and limited resources remain challenges. Dausab highlighted the interdependency of judicial independence and support from other state organs for the judiciary’s effectiveness.
The budget allocations for different court levels were specified, with the Supreme Court receiving N$25.7 million, the High Court N$99.7 million, lower courts N$200 million, and policy supervision, coordination, and support services N$119 million.
In conclusion, the plea for additional funds for the judiciary’s infrastructure is crucial to ensure the effective delivery of justice and meet the growing demand for judicial services. Ongoing investment in capital projects is essential to modernize facilities, integrate technology, and improve access to justice for all.
Read the original article on The Namibian
