Chief Justice: Support inclusion of people with disabilities

CHIEF Justice Ivor Archie said support should be shown to activities that promote the inclusion of people with disabilities.

He was speaking on Monday at the Caribbean Association of Law Libraries (CARALL) 33rd Conference and Annual General Meeting held at the Old Fire Station, Port of Spain.

Archie said he felt it important to attend the event to underscore the value of the work of CARALL. He said the executive of CARALL included library practitioners from across the region which has allowed for a combination of diverse culture and practice norms to be shared, and also for easy access to information in a region where constituent members were physically separated. Archie added that this ensures everyone has equal access to justice.

"Something very dear to my my heart."

He said CARALL ensured open access to legal information and without this access and sharing of legal information among stakeholders within the region "we as judges and as advocates cannot adequately serve our justice system."

"When I have to find the solution to a thorny legal question I would first ask a law librarian before I ask a lawyer. Because that's what you do best - research."

He commented on the conference including a discussion on the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

"It (is) not only a right one but one of pre-eminence. We have both a moral and an internationally acknowledged responsibility to support successful inclusive practices to persons with disabilities."