Request Made To Delink Registry & Gov't IT Systems

No Image Found!
BVI Platinum News

(PLTM) - President of the BVI Bar Association, Ms. Jacqueline Daley, QC, has made public her dissatisfaction with the linkage of the Government’s IT Systems and that of the Commercial Registry.

Her complaints and appeal for the resolution of this issue came moments after a call by Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, the Honourable Dame Janice Perreira, DBE, for the electronic filing system to be embraced and developed, especially in the Virgin Islands.

On Tuesday, the President of the Bar Association reflected on an incident a short while after Hurricane Irma, last year. She explained that some Attorneys had attempted to utilise the system, but could not after they learnt of the connection.

“The Registry, we learnt, is not independent in terms of its IT function,” she explained. “The Registry’s IT system, we were all shocked to hear, was inexplicably linked to that of the Government. So when the Government’s IT system failed, very sadly, the Registry’s IT system failed."

This, she said, should not be, further adding that the Registry “should have its own IT platform.”

“I would like to take this opportunity to ask the powers that be to look into finding a solution to that situation,” she stressed.

Earlier in the day, Chief Justice Perriera had referred to the critical role that E-Filing can play in the work of the court. She also pointed to the higher level of efficiency when this was utilised post-Irma, when the Virgin Islands’ Commercial Court was temporarily relocated to St. Lucia at the court’s headquarters.

“The utilisation of a rudimentary system of electronic-filing via email, the use of other ICT Technology put in place by the IT team at the headquarters, complemented by emergency procedural measures and support from staff at the court’s headquarters, allowed that division to continue its operation seamlessly,” she stated.

She further revealed that all matters listed for hearing came on as scheduled, adding that “it was said by many legal practitioners who experienced this temporary E-filing arrangement that...use of the rudimentary method was operating even more efficiently than the normal paper filing.”

“If there was need for an argument supporting a paperless Judiciary and as a way forward for building resiliency to natural disasters, the experience of the BVI’s Commercial Division made it convincing,” the Chief Justice declared.

-----
Copyright 2023 by Virgin Islands Platinum News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Reader Opinion
Please note that the opinions posted are the opinions of its author and does not in any way reflect the views of the management, staff, parent company or sponsors of Virgin Islands Platinum News.
There are no comments to show at this time.
Cruise Schedule
IN PORT - TODAY ( 28 March )
We have no cruise ship in port on this day!
IN PORT - TOMORROW ( 29 March )
We have no cruise ship in port on this day!