Barbados launches first dedicated gun court, second still without opening date
Barbados opened its first specialised firearms court on Tuesday, hearing ten arraignments in its debut session. A promised second gun court has no start date yet.
Barbados firearms court holds first session, second court still without timeline
Barbados opened its first dedicated gun court on Tuesday, with Justice Douglas Frederick — newly elevated from the magistracy — presiding over ten arraignments in the No. 2 Supreme Court. One accused entered a guilty plea during the opening session. Barbados Today reports that the court is designed to accelerate firearms trials and reduce a growing backlog of pending cases.
Earlier this year, the government announced plans for two specialised firearms courts: one to handle matters arising from 2025 onwards, and a second to address cases dating from before that year. The first is now operational. The second remains unscheduled.
Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley, speaking to reporters outside the court, confirmed that a location for the second gun court had been identified but that additional preparatory work was still required. He was unable to give a date for when it would begin operating.
The opening session got off to a slightly delayed start after the prison bus arrived late, though Justice Frederick was already on the bench. Proceedings commenced shortly after 10 a.m., with the dock filled with accused persons. Principal State Counsel Rudolph Burnett is handling prosecution of the cases.
Lashley acknowledged that delays within the court system would not disappear overnight, but said greater use of technology could ease some of the pressure. He pointed to virtual conferencing as a practical tool, particularly for arraignments and guilty pleas, which he said do not require a physical courtroom setting.
"This morning could have been done through Zoom, because they were the arraignments, but of course, there was a physical setting," he said.
Scheduling virtual hearings for the afternoon — around 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. — could, he suggested, allow defence attorneys to complete their conventional court work before participating remotely, while also reducing the logistical burden of prisoner transport.
"If you have prisoners on the bus who are coming down only to take a plea and that have arraignments, then you can do it by Zoom," Lashley said.
The minister also raised the issue of a shortage of criminal defence attorneys. He said the court had previously attempted to manage demand through a structured calendar, but added that better coordination among lawyers was still needed. He called for greater exposure of junior lawyers to criminal and criminal defence work.
"We need now to look at exposing young attorneys to the criminal law and to criminal defence law," Lashley said.
Commissioner of Police Sonia Boyce and Deputy Commissioner Adrian Broomes were present to witness the first session. Senior Counsel Angella Mitchell-Gittens offered congratulations to Justice Frederick on his judicial appointment, telling the court that members of the Bar had long observed his considered and even-handed approach on the bench.
"We look forward to appearing before you, and we pledge our support to your court and coming here when required to do so," Mitchell-Gittens said.
Source: Barbados Today