Chief Justice Leslie Haynes has said out loud what many in the legal profession and the general public already know: The Magistrates’ Courts are overwhelmed, and traffic offences are a major culprit.
With close to 15 000 traffic cases lodged each year, our justice system is buckling under the weight of matters that, quite frankly, should never require a courtroom appearance in the first place.
During a recent presentation of digital equipment under the PACE Justice initiative, an EU–Caribbean partnership aimed at modernising the judiciary, Haynes made a decisive call for change. He wants to implement the long-promised ticketing and demerit point system already provided for in our laws.
We agree with him.
The Road Traffic Act already contains the legal framework for such a system. Yet more than four decades later, we continue to clog the system with minor matters—illegal parking, speeding, unlicensed vehicles, and expired drivers’ licences—through the very courts also burdened with rising reports of violent crime. The result is delay, inefficiency, and public frustration.
It is important to note, however, that not every traffic violation is minor. Reckless driving and speeding, for instance, can result in injury and loss of life. But the vast majority of traffic cases could be handled more efficiently outside the regular courtroom. A modern ticketing system would allow people to resolve minor violations swiftly, freeing up our Magistrates’ Courts for cases that truly deserve their time and resources.
Chief Justice Haynes also highlighted the human cost of inefficiency. Thousands of Barbadians waste hours outside courthouses waiting for their matters to be called. Many must take time off work, queue from early morning, and endure long stretches of uncertainty for what often amounts to a mere formality. For a nation that seeks to modernise its public services, this is an unnecessary burden.
Attorney General Dale Marshall has said work is underway to introduce the long-overdue system. According to Chief Justice Haynes, collaboration across ministries—particularly Transport and Works—is essential to ensure a smooth rollout. With the PACE Justice initiative laying a digital foundation, there are no more excuses for delay.
Of course, traffic is only one part of a much bigger problem. As UNDP Resident Representative Limya Eltayeb reminded us, criminal case backlogs are endemic across the Caribbean.
Too many prisoners languish on remand for years awaiting trial. Some die before their cases are heard. Others are freed only after serving more time awaiting justice than they would have if convicted.
Eltayeb’s remarks highlight the need for root-and-branch reform, not just piecemeal digital fixes. If more than half of our prison population is made up of persons still awaiting trial, then the problem is structural and systemic.
European Union Ambassador Malgorzata Wasilewska also spoke at the handover ceremony, noting how digitalisation can help cut backlogs. Digital files, she pointed out, are faster, more secure, and far more manageable than the mounds of paper that currently choke the system.
Even so, we cannot fool ourselves into thinking technology is a cure-all. It must be coupled with properly trained staff and simpler, more navigable legal processes.
The government is presently focused on upgrading the Supreme Court, but as Attorney General Marshall observed, the Magistrates’ Courts will also have their turn. Let us hope that turn comes sooner rather than later.
Barbados is not alone in grappling with these challenges. But we do have an opportunity to lead by example. A functioning demerit point system, online payment of fines, and streamlined criminal procedure could all help ease the backlog. These are not radical proposals but well-worn recommendations from local and regional experts who understand the system from within.
Chief Justice Haynes has laid down the challenge. Now it is up to the executive and legislative arms of government to act on it. Five years from now, we should not still be asking how to clear the traffic court backlog.
