There are a number of preliminary inquiries on a variety of criminal matters that are still pending.
But they will have to wait until the relevant authorities fill the position of chief magistrate.
The position was left vacant after Justice Reschanne Browne, former Chief Magistrate left to take up duties in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court earlier this year.
Justce Browne was initially appointed to serve on the bench as High Court Judge in St Lucia for a brief stint, between January and March 2024.
She was however appointed a full-time position as judge by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission as of April 1, 2024 leaving the position of chief magistrate empty.
The position becomes vacant as two new magistrates were sworn in this week.
Tammika DaSilva-McKenzie was sworn in as Senior Magistrate and Kaywana Jacobs sworn in as a Temporary Magistrate.
According to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves who spoke on the matter on radio on April 3 said that the recent appointments of DaSilva-McKenzie and Jacobs, along with the appointments of former Commissioner of Police Colin John as Senior Magistrate and former Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) John Ballah as Magistrate, and with the possible return of Justice Browne would have brought the total to 5 the number of magistrates here.
However, with the elevation of Justice Browne to serve on a permanent basis meant that the number was back to 4.
“One of the big things I said to the Attorney General is to see whether we need, while we advertise for a chief magistrate, if there is any temporary magistrates which we need to take on to deal with preliminary inquiries,” Gonsalves said.
He further explained that there was already a backlog in other areas including coroner’s inquests etc and the appointment of a temporary magistrate would allow for such matters to proceed.
Even in the area of traffic court, Gonsalves reasoned that the individual appointed to that position could deal specifically with traffic offences, and conduct court during the evening into night hours allowing for offenders to work during the day, but still able to meet their respective court dates.