The provincial government is setting up a working group to address what it calls systemic issues in the provincial court system.
Last week all civil and traffic hearings were adjourned and circuit courts in Baie Verte and Port aux Basques are being suspended due to what government calls staffing issues.
Justice Minister Helen Conway Ottenheimer today announced that a working group has been formed consisting of Chief Judge Robin Fowler, another active or retired provincial court judge, two members of the Law Society, the Deputy Minister and other senior department officials.
The minister told reporters at Confederation Building today she’s met with Fowler a couple of times since the court notification went out last Friday, which was the first time she was made aware of the issue.
She would not get into specifics on some of the issues, or what led to the closure of courtrooms.
“That question (about specifics) involves the operations of the court. All I can say about that is from my discussion with Chief Judge Fowler, He indicated that two of the primary pressures involve staffing as well as sheriff officers,” she told reporters from Confederation building.
The minister says the working group will meet before Christmas and more meetings are scheduled early in the new year to analyze the root causes of staffing shortages and systemic pressures in the provincial court system.
(VOCM News)
NAPE responds with anger, accuses government of ‘political theatre’
NAPE is reacting with anger to today’s announcement.
President Jerry Earle says a failure to recruit sheriff’s officers and other essential court staff is at the root of the problem – a problem that’s been known for years.
He says government has not reached out to the union at all since the notification went out from the courts last week.
The union is demanding to know why frontline workers are not included in the working group.
“Because we need to have open dialogue with workers that deliver these services to address concerns. If you shut them out, if you exclude them, we will not find solutions. And I think this disrespect shown these workers today may even make matters (worse). Who would want to work in a system where they’re not respected?”
