March 27, 2023 – A delegation from Grenada, headed by Senator the Honourable Claudette Joseph, Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs, Labour and Consumer Affairs, successfully completed a five-day study tour, visiting regional partners and high-level officials in Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda.

The tour was funded by The Judicial Reform and Institutional Strengthening (JURIST) Project, funded by the government of Canada, with support from the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) and the Supreme Court of Judicature Guyana.

The delegation included Honourable Justice Paula Gilford, Senior High Court Judge; Anna Brizan, Permanent Secretary; Xiomara Forsyth, Registrar for the Supreme Court; Peter English, IT Officer; and Catherine Charles, Court Administrator.

The primary focus of the study tour was to gain valuable insights and to guide the establishment of a sexual offences court in the state of Grenada, based on the experiences in other regional jurisdictions. The team was given the opportunity to visit the Sexual Offences Model Courts in Guyana and Antigua and Barbuda, and see the procedural, technical and legislative steps taken in these jurisdictions. Engagements were held with members of the Judiciary, court administration and social partners, who worked together to provide support for the victims, while ensuring that accused individuals receive a fair trial.

The visit afforded the opportunity to engage with important governmental officials from the Prices and Consumer Affairs Office of Antigua and Barbuda, and the Guyana Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission, for the purpose of further developing Grenada’s Consumer Affairs Division.

High-level meetings were also held in Barbados with Honourable Colin E. Jordan, Minister of Labour, Social Partnership Relations and the Third Sector, and Honourable Wilfred Abrahams, Minister of Home Affairs, Information and Public Affairs. The discussions focused on matters related to fostering effective collaborations between the two countries, and identifying areas where collaborations can yield mutually beneficial results.

Minister Joseph expressed sincere gratitude to all for the hospitality received throughout the trip and looks forward to continued engagement with regional partners, as well as utilising the knowledge gained, to improve the access to justice for the victims of sexual offences and their families in Grenada.