We were encouraged by Prime Minister Bruce Golding's commitment, in his inaugural speech, to implement the recommendations of the Justice System Report and the renewal of that pledge in this year's Budget document. We expect that during the Budget and the Sectoral debates the Government will spell out the different stages by which the transformation of the system will take place.

We note that four main objectives for the Ministry of Justice have been set out in the Budget document for this financial year. First, there is the establishment of the Court Service Agency to give the chief justice autonomy over the management of the support services which relate to the judiciary. Second, clerks of court will be transferred from the Resident Magistrates' Courts to the Department of Public Prosecutions. Third, the Government will establish a special coroner to conduct early hearings of sensitive cases, and, fourth, it will expand the support of the Ministry of Justice to the Dispute Resolution Foundation to reduce the number of cases that need to go to court.

We remind the Government that the report recommended that the new vision of our justice system should be one that is "available, accessible, accountable and affordable on a timely, courteous, respectful, flexible, fair and competent basis for all". The report reminded Jamaica that despite all of the studies done on the justice system since inde-pendence, none of them approached the task of fundamental overhaul of the justice system. It warned that we should not tinker with the existing system. It spoke strongly for a new transformation that involves fundamental changes to structures, operating systems, strategies, capabilities and culture that must embrace the way in which justice system personnel think of their roles and objectives.

Improvement in the justice system is not only the responsibility of the Government, it is the business of all sections of our country. It will help to bring peace and security to personal and business relations. It will help to improve the way we feel about ourselves. It will help our economy to grow. It will help to produce better prospects for our children and young people.

The Justice System Report was the outcome of work by a wide cross section of interests that included the churches, judges and lay magistrates, the legal profession, human rights activists, business organisations, youth leaders and community leaders throughout Jamaica. We urge all these stakeholders to continue the dialogue and to engage in a conversation about the importance of justice reform. We urge parliamentarians to speak on issues of justice in the Budget Debate.

The fact is that a properly functioning justice system benefits the entire society. In the absence of confidence in the system, cynicism and corruption grow and the law of the jungle is given legitimacy by the many who submit to its tenets.

The Government's articulation of its commitment to the transformation of the system is but the first step. It must follow through with practical actions to reinforce its stated vision. The wider society must hold the Government to its commitment.