Jordan Times
Friday, June 25, 2004
King reiterates support for judicial reform programme
By Rami Abdelrahman
DEAD SEA — His Majesty King Abdullah stressed on Thursday that the most
important objective of reforms is achieving full independence of the judiciary
and developing it to contain contemporary challenges.
Addressing over 550 judges at the First Judicial Conference in Al Hussein bin
Talal Convention Centre, the King said the current judicial reform programme can
be achieved if the value of judicial independence became a personal agenda and a
national duty for every judge.
“I believe that justice is the base of governance,” King Abdullah said during
the opening ceremony, which was also attended by Prime Minister Faisal Fayez,
diplomats, ministers, deputies, senators and the press.
The King said he was following up on the reform programme, which aims at
reinforcing the independence of the judicial system, enhancing and accelerating
procedures and minimising the demand on courts, computerising and automating the
system's operations, and improving monitoring and inspection of courts.
Since his accession to the Throne five years ago, the King has been highlighting
the importance of judicial reforms as key in the drive to develop the Kingdom.
He stressed on judicial reforms in his Letter of Designation to Fayez, and on
Thursday he promised to continue supervising the programme.
The judicial system will now be open to the press, despite some judges'
reservations, according to Mohammad Raqqad, head of the Judicial Council.
Currently, the United States Agency for International Development, the UNDP, and
the World Bank are supporting a judicial upgrading strategy entitled “JUST,”
under which the current programme is considered a primary phase.
So far, the Justice Ministry has been able to identify the main processes,
procedures, strengths and weaknesses that need to be developed in the judicial
system, and is currently drafting a code of ethics for judges, according to
Minister of Justice Salah Bashir.
A basic computer system design was also developed, while 125 out of the
country's 600 judges have received training on information technology. The
Kingdom's 19 women judges will also participate in the upcoming training
programmes.
Participants will be holding meetings on Friday to discuss the computerisation
of the judiciary system, e-justice, continued education for judges, and
brainstorm on ways to encourage cooperation between judges and judicial bodies
in the development process.
The World Economic Forum's Global Competency Report ranked Jordan as 23rd in the
independence of the judiciary among 102 surveyed countries. The Kingdom is
ranked 7th among Arab states, but implementing JUST would raise Jordan's ranking
to first place, according to Bashir.