ST GEORGES, Grenada – The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) hosted a media briefing and launch of its E-Litigation Portal for the Member State of Grenada. Both events were held on June 22, 2021, in the Greenery Room of the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort, St George’s, Grenada.
This was the first launch to be conducted using a blended approach, and we are pleased to report that we had over 92 participants attending via the Zoom platform.
The E-Litigation Portal was aptly described by the Chief Registrar, Michelle John-Theobalds, in her remarks as an integrated e-filing and case management web-based application which will provide court users and all stakeholders with access to assigned services anytime, anywhere and on any device, including smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops.
The Chief Registrar also underscored that the Portal was custom made specifically for the ECSC, having regard to its particular needs, as a platform to improve the delivery of justice to the citizens of the OECS.
Her Ladyship, The Hon. Dame Janice M. Pereira, DBE, Chief Justice, used the launch as an opportunity to inform attendees of the advantages of the E-Litigation Portal; and how it will transform court operations and how that translates to improved delivery of justice to the citizens of Grenada.
Furthermore, the E-Litigation Portal will also provide stakeholders with convenient and easy access to the web-based platform via a secure login, online document filing facilities, full access to all case documents, and allow for greater flexibility in the choice of hearing dates. Her Ladyship encouraged members of the legal fraternity and the public to embrace the use of technology so that justice can be dispensed in a timely and efficient manner to all stakeholders.
The ECSC received testimonials via Zoom on the use of the E-Litigation Portal from stakeholders in the Members States and Territories where the Portal is already in place, namely, Jean M Dyer, president, OECS Bar Association and attorney at law, JM Dyer & Co., Anguilla, Dahlia Joseph Rowe, managing partner, Joseph Rowe, attorneys at law and Notaries Public, St Kitts and Nevis, Renee Morgan, senior and principal Crown Counsel Attorney General’s Chambers, Montserrat and Tammie Gage, Court administrator, Antigua and Barbuda High Court. They all shared their very positive experiences using the Portal with the audience.
The ECSC also used the occasion to launch its E-Litigation Portal documentary. The main objective of the documentary is to sensitise stakeholders and members of the public on the dynamic nature of the Portal in an organic way using the voice of the people across the ECSC’s 9-member jurisdiction. The documentary, which has been produced by ElShaFord Productions, highlights in particular how the E-Litigation Portal will benefit each Member State and Territory in the event of any disaster, natural or otherwise, facing the region.
The launch of the E-Litigation Portal in Grenada was attended by judicial officers of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, Kindra Mathurine Stewart, minister for legal affairs, attorney general of Grenada, legal practitioners from the private and public bar, members of the media, and members of staff of the ECSC headquarters as well as the Grenada Supreme Court.
