NASSAU, The Bahamas -- In an effort to enhance the delivery of justice and fulfill the need for education and training of staff and judicial officers, The Bahamas Judicial Education Institute (BJEI) has been established.

The BJEI is presently managed by a board of directors namely, Justice Ian Winder, Chairman; Justice Deborah Fraser, Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson, Justice Keith Thompson, Camille Darville-Gomez, Registrar; Magistrate Ancella Evans and Nicoya Neilly, Administrator.

In remarks at the ceremony to mark the Opening of the Legal Year, Chief Justice Brian Moree said the institute is mandated to provide structured, “judiciary specific” programs and a full program for the legal year 2020 has been planned. 

Several training and education initiatives were held for the judiciary in 2019.  They included a seminar on ‘Gender Protocols,’ ‘Enforcement Procedures’ and other topics relevant to all tiers of the judiciary.

A joint training program with the Bahamas Bar Association featured Appeal Justice Roy Jones who addressed the topic, ‘Dealing with No Case Submissions.’  The sessions also focused on the health and wellness of judicial officers and financial matters.

A judicial writing seminar was held for judicial officers and judicial research counsel, offered by the BJEI, in collaboration with the Judicial Education Institute of Trinidad & Tobago, and facilitated by Justice Gregory Smith of the Court of Appeal of Trinidad.