Clayton Morgan’s letter in The Gleaner raises concerns that deserve the fullest public attention. The present state of Jamaica’s court infrastructure exposes a troubling contradiction in the Government’s posture on justice reform.

On the one hand, senior judicial officers continue to warn about deteriorating courthouse conditions, and the strain these deficiencies have on the administration of justice. On the other hand, there is renewed discussion surrounding the establishment of a local final appellate court, an undertaking that would require immense resources. The practical realities simply cannot be ignored.

People who enter many of these facilities are often met with overcrowding, outdated systems, delays, and environments inconsistent with the dignity expected of a modern justice system. If the State has struggled for years to maintain and modernise existing courts, reasonable Jamaicans are entitled to ask how an entirely new apex court could realistically be financed and maintained at the highest international standards.