Just over $400 million has been set aside in the Budget to construct and improve courthouses this fiscal year.

The big-ticket item is the purchase and renovation of the National Commercial Bank building on King Street in downtown Kingston.

The building will form part of what has been dubbed 'Justice Square', which will include the Court of Appeal building, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the old attorney general's building on Barry Street.

In addition, the Government has made provisions for the lease of property to accommodate the St James Family Court and the lease of a building to house the coroner's and traffic courts in the Corporate Area.

Roof repairs

The Estimates of Expenditure tabled in Parliament yesterday also include provisions for roof replacement at the Montego Bay Court and repairs to the roof of the building which houses the courthouse in Cross Keys, Manchester.

The administration has repeatedly said improving the justice system will be high on its agenda this year and the physical changes are to be complemented by advances in the justice-reform programme.

This should include the establishment of the Office of the Special Coroner, the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the introduction of a special coroner to exercise jurisdiction when members of the security forces and state agents are involved in killings.

In fact, just under $8 million has been set aside to operate the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

A further $55 million has been allocated to the new Court Management Service which will give the chief justice complete autonomy in relation to the human resources, finance, accounting, auditing and statistical functions of the courts.

This is expected to lead to a sharp reduction in the backlog of cases in the system.