by Linda Straker
- 2019 Jury List of 6,037 names published
- Criminal lawyers hopeful publication of the list will ensure jurors for High Court assizes sittings
In keeping with the 2015 jury legislation, Acting Registrar, Alana Twum-Barimah recently published the 2019 Jury List containing contains 6,037 names representing persons of various professions and occupations in all the parishes.
Twam-Barimah said that persons who missed the first date published for them to provide just cause to remove their names from the list should pay attention to the new date. “We will soon publish a new date but in the meantime, persons who want to object to their names on the list can contact the registrar office,” she advised.
The list and date for the removal process are normally published in the Government Gazette.
According to the legislation a person is qualified to be a juror once he or she is between the ages of 21 and 65; is a citizen of and residing in Grenada and owns real property with a minimum value of EC$2,000 or in receipt of a salary or source of income of not less than EC$200 per year.
A person is disqualified if he or she is unable to speak English; has a physical or mental condition that impairs the person’s capacity or ability to conveniently and fully discharge the duties of a juror, including a state of being deaf, mute, blind or of unsound mind; if the person was convicted of any offence with a maximum penalty of imprisonment for a term of 3 or more years and has not received a free pardon in respect of the conviction and if the person who has been convicted of any offence in the opinion of the Registrar or of the Judge in Chambers on an appeal renders the person unfit for service.
Persons exempted are: members of Cabinet and Parliament as well as all persons who have served in the Parliament for 6 years. Public Officers who are serving as: permanent secretaries; chief personnel officer of the public service commission; director of audit; director of public prosecution; magistrate and staff of the magistrate’s court; registrar of the Supreme Court and staff of the Supreme Court; Personal Assistant to the Governor-General; Secretary to the Cabinet and the Supervisor of Elections. Members of the Royal Grenada Police Force and members of the Integrity Commission are also exempt.
Private sector persons exempted are: ministers of religion; principals of schools; attorneys at law; legal clerks in actual practice; medical practitioners registered pursuant to the Health Practitioner’s Act and pilots.
Criminal lawyers are hopeful that the timely publication of the 2019 Juror’s list will ensure that there is not a shortage of jurors for High Court assizes sittings in 2019 as happened in 2017 when some matters to be adjourned.
