As courts going digital, gov’t to engage judiciary on e-ticket payments

The judicial system is becoming increasingly digitised and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall, SC says the government now plans to engage the judiciary on laws to facilitate online payments through the e-ticketing system for traffic offenders

The e-ticketing system along the Mandela to Eccles Highway has been operational since last year. Through this system, cameras installed are able to ascertain whether drivers have committed any offences, such as driving without their seatbelts or speeding.

The system can also flag any traffic offenders and automatically issue and email traffic tickets to the driver based on customisable parameters.

But with efforts underway to digitise many judicial processes, including payments to the courts, Nandlall said the government is working out how it will merge the e-ticketing system with online or digital payments at the Magistrates’ Courts across the country.

“The Commissioner of Police and the Ministry of Legal Affairs with the technology people, are working together in not only designing the law but crafting a system which we will have to engage the judiciary. Once we get our concept and design clear, whereby we will be issuing traffic tickets electronically using cameras that are installed across the country,.

“….They (errant drivers) will be required to pay those tickets at Magistrates’ offices throughout the country where manually those tickets are being paid now,” the Attorney General said on Wednesday.

In simpler terms, just as the drivers receive those tickets electronically, it is expected that they will pay the fines incurred electronically as well.

This isn’t a far off goal for the local judiciary.

Already, digital notice boards (called e-notice boards) are in place at courts in Georgetown and around the country.

Tagman Technology, a local information technology company, is working alongside the judiciary to implement a system that would facilitate online payments to the courts.

Tagman Technology Consultant, Alex Graham on Wednesday said Magistrates’ Courts should soon be able to accept digital payments for maintenance and affiliation in the coming weeks. Eventually, bail and other payments can be made online.