Benefits and Costs
37.
I would invite those who look for a cost/benefit analysis of strengthened administration to understand this Report. In order to be sufficiently effective and efficient the Judiciary needs to achieve certain things. These emerge expressly or by implication throughout the Report. Ways and means of achieving them are set out. There are however two essential conditions: first, the Judiciary can achieve them only by going out and getting them itself; there is literally no-one else to do it; secondly, the Judiciary must take systematic charge of the flow of its own business. The services of a trained senior administrator are essential a point with which most people seem to agree. But neither he nor the Chief Justice can co-ordinate the work of every court and tribunal. Nor can the two of them know enough to reach informed decisions about strategy without judicial input. The key to a more effective, more productive and more efficient Judiciary is a combination of presiding judges, administration and collective advice. Such concepts as listing systems and pre-trial procedures are mere tools. To work well they must be well and responsibly wielded.
38.
There is, therefore, no cost/benefit analysis in this Report. A few simple calculations will nevertheless be useful. In my proposals the presiders are all working judges so there is no increase in the judicial establishment. In terms of top salaries the increased cost would be by the application of new pay points for the presiders and by ar. administrator's salary instead of the Registrar's salary as suggested below :-
Monthly: Old Salary New Salary Addition
President, Court of Appeal
President, High Court
$58,800 $57,200
60,950 2,150
58,800 1,600
President, District Court
$42,800 57,200 14,400
Assistant President,
District Court
$42,800
48,650
5,850
Chief Magistrate
$36,900
42,800 5,900
President, Labour Tribunal
$31,050
42,800 11,750
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